Reckoner
by ImplodingSporks
Summary: "You mess with me, and mess with her..." he said in a mocking tone. "And now I'll make sure Ms. Tori Vega gets what she deserves..." Rated M for various mature themes.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello all! It's been quite some time since I've written. I intend on finishing my other two stories as well, but I came up with a new idea and had to start writing it. I have a lot of it ready, but I warn you, this story will get intense at times. But I think in general, it's something all you Jori lovers will enjoy.  
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_Everything happened too quickly. In the blink of an eye I went from smiling and laughing with Andre and Cat, to being pushed against a wall in a coat closet, my mouth covered and my arms restrained. I struggled, trying to scream, but my cries for help were muffled. I could hear the music blaring from downstairs, and I wondered if anyone realized I was missing. He chuckled in such a devious way; he was so amused by my pain and my weakness._

_"You were always such a little spit fire...it turns me on so much..." he whispered, his lips hovering above my face. I could smell alcohol on his breath; it was so strong it almost made me nauseous. My head was spinning from fear and from intoxication, and I began to believe I really had no way out. He grabbed a sweater that was hanging up so he could tie my wrists together, making one his hands free. He began roaming my body with immense roughness, his eyes growing wild as he did._

_"You thought it was funny to humiliate me? You think I'd forget that? Not a fucking chance." He moved his lips to my ear, biting it hard enough to break the skin._

_"You mess with me, and mess with her..." he said in a mocking tone. "And now I'll make sure Ms. Tori Vega gets what she deserves..."_

_He suddenly grabbed my neck, his other hand still over my mouth to prevent anyone from hearing. He began choking me, his grip getting tighter as his face grew redder._

_"I love watching you struggle, you little bitch. And it's going to be even more fun when I'm fucking you senseless..." My eyes widened as my flow of oxygen became almost extinct. As I thought I was about to pass out, he let go of my neck, and moved his hand to my shirt, ripping it off in one swipe. He teased the fabric of my bra, making it as if it'd take it easy on me; but I knew this was not the case as my bra went flying. My mind went into panic mode, and I began thrashing about, trying to outdo his strength. He ignored my attempts, his mind too focused on violating me in any way he could. But in that moment, that moment of his perversion and lapse of judgement, I was able kick away his body against mine, making my mouth free for just a moment._

_"Help me! Someone, please help me!" I shouted, sure that the volume of my voice could actually make my throat bleed. He stumbled for a moment, clearly more intoxicated than I was, but resumed his place, leaving me speechless again. Only this time, a blow to the face was punishment for my attempts at freedom._

_"You keep your fucking mouth shut, or I'll bash your perfect little teeth in." he hissed, slapping me across my face in the same spot he punched. I felt tears form in my eyes, but I pushed as hard as I could to stop them from falling. I didn't want him seeing any more of my fear; I needed to try staying strong. I felt his free move to my pants, and I knew what was coming next. I closed my eyes, and held my breath. As his hand made its way into my jeans, I suddenly felt cool air hit my body and light take over my eyes. I hear a gasp and suddenly, his hands are off of me. I open my eyes in confusion, only for them to gaze upon who I'll always affectionately refer to as my hero._

_"What the fuck are you doing to her?!"_

_There was a blow to his face, followed by another, and another and another. Tears of happiness fell down my cheeks. My body began shaking, relieved that I was free from him, but also in shock from the entire event._

_"I'll fucking kill you! How dare you touch her! I'll kill you!"_

_My vision suddenly went blurry as I watched the man...no...the boy who was violating me be put to shame by a beautiful and strong woman._

_"...thank you..." is all I managed to whisper before I completely blacked out._

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**_Previously..._**

**Tori's POV**

"A party?! I love parties!" Cat exclaimed, bouncing happily up and down at our lunch table.

"Yeah, sounds like it's going to be pretty wild." Andre says, picking up his burger and bringing it to his mouth. "I don't know about y'all, but I'm pumped. I haven't been to a party in way too long."

Beck nods, stealing some of Andre's fries and laughing. "Yeah, and maybe at this one Robbie won't pass out..." he teases, while Robbie looks up with a defensive look.

"Hey! I was tired! Who knew it'd go so late?"

"Boy, you fell asleep at 10:00pm. You lasted 30 minutes." Rex laughs at his own joke, and Robbie frowns and his words.

Meanwhile, I pick at my salad, my eyes glued to the leafy greens beneath me. Truth be told, I've never really been to a party. My parents wouldn't allow it, and unlike Trina, I'm not really one to lie or sneak out. I can't deny that it embarrasses me, especially since even Cat goes out, and she's like a child. Or like a kitten. She's a baby kitten, and it's pathetic that a baby kitten has more guts than I do.

I've also never actually drank alcohol. I guess I was naïve to think that most people would wait until the legal age of 21, because all of my friends and Trina have done it on many occasions. And every single time there was a party opportunity, I made an excuse not to go, in fear of lying to my parents and being caught. And I can't deny that I'm slightly afraid of the party itself. But after so many times of me bailing, I know my friends have caught on, and now, they don't even ask me if I'm going. I just sit quietly while they all rant and rave about the exciting weekend ahead of them. The only upside is that none of them taunt me about not going. Well, except for one person, of course.

"So, Vega, what will you be doing all alone at your house while we're all out having a good time? Homework? Reading? Staring out your window at the stars and wishing ever so desperately on each one that you weren't such a big baby?" The icy voice of Jade West hits me harder than a truck. She always knows how to get under my skin, and how to make me cringe. I look up, my eyes meeting hers, and I see a small smirk from on her face.

"Leave her alone, Jade. She doesn't need to be badgered by you". Beck responds. It's a nice gesture but I always hate when he stands up for me. I can tell it sets Jade off internally, and even though I've made it clear on more than one occasion that I'm not interested in Beck, he's made it clear that at least at some point, he's been interested in me. And while he may or may not be anymore, that part of him sticks with Jade.

They've actually gotten a lot better since their break up. For the most part, Jade's actually gotten a lot more tolerable towards everyone. It's taken some time, but I think it's safe to say that Beck and Jade are friends. They even hang out again from time to time, and this, in a way, makes me angry. I've done everything I could do to make Jade like me, and she still won't even call me a friend. Every single time that I think I've made progress, the next day proves to be the same as the one before.

And just as I predicted, I see the fury in Jade's eyes. It's very subtle, but it's prominent, and I'm very used to seeing it.

"I'm fine Beck. And Jade, I'm really not in the mood for this." I grab my bag and leave the table, not wanting to be pestered any further. I make my way back into the school and head towards the black box theatre, knowing it'll be empty during lunch.

Truth be told, despite everything Jade puts me through, in some strange sense, I kind of wish I had the guts she has. Actually, there's a lot about Jade I really admire. She's tough and lacks any fear or doubt in any of her actions. She's talented in so many areas and never questions herself. Plus, she's the only person I know who can pull off wearing so much black. She's pretty much a bad ass, and everything about that, in a strange sense, excites me.

Jade throws my mind into a confusion. I don't quite understand what I feel towards her and why, but it always keeps me coming back. Even though part of me really wishes it didn't.

I sigh heavily and lay back on the Black Box stage floor, trying to clear my mind of everything. I close my eyes and debate with myself internally. Why can't I just man up and go to this stupid party? If I did, I'd probably have a lot of fun, and realize I was worrying for nothing. Plus, maybe I'd earn Jade's respect.

Suddenly, I hear the door fly open and someone comes marching in.

"So you're not just a big baby, but now you're one that runs and hides?"

I don't need to open my eyes to know it's Jade. I just groan and put my hands over my face.

"What do you want, Jade?"

She comes closer, and I hear her sit at the edge of the stage and drop her bag next to her.

"Come on, Vega. Why are you being so testy today? Chill out and come back to lunch so everyone stops lecturing me."

"I'm just not in the mood to deal with your taunting. Why don't you try again tomorrow?" I respond sarcastically, moving my hands and sitting up.

"Dude, since when did you get so sensitive?"

"I'm just tired of it, Jade. Yes, I'm not going to go to the party because I don't want to get in trouble. Everyone knows it, but you're the only person who presses the issue. So why don't you just give it up and focus your negative energy on something else?" I grab my bag and stand up to go, but Jade quickly stands up after me and grabs my wrist.

"Well maybe you should stop being scared and just do it. Come on, Vega. Think about it. If you didn't stop being scared, you wouldn't have had the guts to take Trina's place in the performance and get into this school. If you didn't stop being scared, you wouldn't have stood up to me in the ABC game on your second day of school. If you didn't stop being scared, you wouldn't have taken risks and passed The Bird Scene or stand up to Ryder Daniels or even be yourself for the Platinum Music Awards..." Jade lets go of my wrist and looks awkwardly down at the ground.

"Just...hear me out, Vega. You've got two days until the party Friday night. Just think about it, and weigh your options. Until then, I won't bother you about it. But I will bother you about other things. Like that shirt. I wasn't aware pink could get much uglier, but boy, did you prove me wrong." She looks back up at me, grinning, before she walks past me and leaves the Black Box.

I stand there, unable to move or speak for a moment. It's times like these when Jade does something that makes me wonder what's really going on in her twisted head. And I can't deny that she's right about everything that she said. I sigh heavily as I hear the bell ring, and I make my way to my next class.

**Jade's POV**

"Look, all I'm saying is that Tori isn't as strong as she lets you believe. I think you need to take it easier on her." Beck lectures as he walks me towards my truck. The day is over, and I haven't seen Vega since the Black Box. I groan as Beck talks, sick of him acting like he's some guru.

"And I'm saying that maybe she just needs a push to toughen up. You and everyone else wants me to be nice to her. Well, if you haven't noticed in the past four years, I'm not really the nice type, to any of you. So why is it such a big deal that I'm mean to Vega? Besides, me trying to get her to go out and have fun with her stupid friends sounds pretty damn nice to me."

We get to my truck and he leans against it while I stand cross armed and facing him. My defenses are up, and Beck knows better than to press too hard.

"Yeah, Jade, we get it. You're tough and don't really like anyone. Whatever. But you cannot deny that you are much more cruel to Tori Vega than anyone else. And at this point, I can't figure out why. She's been nothing but nice to you, and if it wasn't obvious a million times, she clearly wasn't trying to get with me. It was pretty obvious to me..." Beck shifts his weight awkwardly, and I could almost punch him for bringing up these sore memories. "But despite it all, despite her proving her loyalty and friendship, you still manage to bring her down. I just don't get it, Jade."

I glare at him, angry that all the points he's made are, of course, impossible for me to refute. I grab the door handle of my truck and hop in, turning to face him before closing it.

"Smoke it up later?" I quirk an eyebrow, awaiting his response.

"Sure. I'll text you." He pushes off my truck before giving me a quick head nod and walking off. I shut my door and take off home, my thoughts jumbled. Beck and I have had enough time apart to actually be able to start a friendship again. I'm not going to deny how awkward it was at first, but now, it kind of makes more sense to me than our relationship did. We don't have the tension or the fighting any longer. Of course, the one exception is when he brings Vega up.

I don't know what I think about that girl. She dazzles everyone with her perfect smile and her big brown eyes and her stupid singing voice. Yet she can't grow a pair and go to a damn party? Does she really think she's perfect, or does she think she needs to play that part of being perfect?

And it drives me nuts, because no matter what she does or her intention, I can't get her off of my mind. And I hate it. I hate it with a burning passion. She is the opposite of everything I like and respect, so it's clear to me that if she's consuming my thoughts, it must be for a negative reason.

So I do what feels natural; I push away and keep my defenses up high. I know how people work, and even if they seem to be kind, caring and helpful, eventually they'll just hurt you in the end.

I just wonder when the "end" is with Vega, because for the past three years, she's shown no signs of giving up or turning me down. And this is what I don't understand: How does she have the guts to face me, but not to come to some little party with her friends?

Vega's a mystery to me, and again, here she is, consuming my thoughts. I bang angrily on my steering wheel as I pull into my driveway. I grab my stuff and storm into an empty house, which doesn't surprise me. I make my way up to my room and collapse on my bed, staring up at my ceiling.

"Damn it, Vega. Get out of my head. And stop trying to make me like you. Just...stop!" I shout out loud, groaning and turning on my side. Whatever. By Friday, when she chickens out yet again, everything will go back to the way it always is. She won't listen to me; she never does. She'll stay home all alone while the rest of us go out and have a drunken and fantastic time. Then on Monday, when we're all talking about the party, she'll sit in silence, kicking herself for not going. And I'll be there to kindly remind her of the good time she missed because she's too much of a coward to go. And I'll also remind her of how she should've taken my advice.

It's a cycle we live in, and Vega and I both know the consequences could be immense if we break it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Felt creative and decided to update within 12 hours of the previous one. Hope you're all enjoying.**

**Also, for any iCarly fans out there, just want to say that iGoodbye was fantastic. It really was a great ending to the show, and it may or may not have made me cry...several times.**

**Onto Chapter Two...  
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**Jade's POV**

I take a long drag from the joint, my eyes already clouded. I look over at Beck whose eyes are bloodshot and glazed. I chuckle, handing him the joint and laying back, looking up at the night sky. Recently, Beck and I have climbed up onto my roof from my window, sparking up a joint or two and just unwinding. It's kind of strange, but I guess since we were so intimate before, it's really easy to be close to him now. And knowing that we've both moved on in our own way makes it not too weird anymore. Every now and then if he's too close to me, I find that I'm rather uncomfortable, and instantly distance myself. It's not that I worry he'll try something or that I want anything, it just feels weird. It kind of started feeling weird in general towards the end of our relationship. We got less and less physical and soon we were unable to communicate without a fight breaking out. But with the relationship aspect at bay, our friendship is...well, it's kind of awesome. I won't tell him I think that, but I honestly do. We can talk about virtually anything, that is, of course, if I want to talk about it. Beck knows damn well that if I say no, then there's no more discussion of the topic.

He takes a hit and leans back, letting the smoke slowly exit his mouth and dissipate into the air around him. He looks over at me, and I'm certain my eyes mirror his, and we both start laughing for absolutely no reason.

"Man, you look stoned." he says through his laughter, passing the joint back to me.

"Dude, you should see yourself. It's like the moment you take a hit, your eyes get ten times smaller. You could never act your way out of being high if an officer pulled you over. Your eyes would give you away instantly." I grab the joint and inhale deeply, loving the feeling of the green traveling through out my body.

"Psh, I could get away with it. Especially if it was a female police officer." he says smugly. I roll my eyes, handing the joint back his way.

"You're so full of yourself. What, you think because you run your hand through your thick hair and smirk that all women will grovel at your feet?" I watch as he takes the last hit from the joint, and flicks the end of it off of the roof.

"Worked on you at one point." he shoots back, testing my patience and challenging me.

"Didn't work on Vega." I respond quickly and dryly, annoyed that he'd even try using our past relationship as some sort of come back. We both remain silent after that, and I'm not sure if he's angry, uncomfortable, or just too high to give a shit. Either way, it's true; Vega denied him. And I know that kills him, because no other girl has ever turned him down.

"Guess you're right. Funny how she's always on your mind." he finally spits back. If I wasn't so stoned, I'd probably push his sorry ass off the roof. But instead, his words hit me in a different way. Beck could always read me like the damn funny pages, so easily and quickly, with an occasional chuckle here and there.

He's right; Vega is always on my mind and I don't know why. But I can't admit this, and I just can't accept it. I groan, punching him in the arm weakly, and rolling my eyes.

"You're hilarious. So fucking hilarious." I mutter, stretching my arms over my head and dismissing our conversation from my thoughts. The night air feels amazing, and if I wasn't afraid of rolling off the roof, I could easily fall asleep out here. But could you imagine the headlines if that did happen? "Stoned Girl Falls Asleep and Rolls Off Roof" Ha! That'd be a story I'd read.

"So what do you think? What are you party predictions?" Beck asks, sitting back up and looking over at me curiously. I smirk, loving this game. Essentially, we go through our friends and predict who will do what and why. Sometimes we make bets on it. Robbie passing out at 10:00pm won me 25 bucks; Beck gave him far too much credit. I sit up, bringing my knees to my chest and resting my chin on them.

"Well, for starters, I think Robbie is going to make it longer this time, but will probably get so drunk trying to impress Cat that he'll get sick." I'm amused by my thoughts and Beck chuckles and nods.

"Yeah, can't argue with that one. Alright, I think Cat is going to take something she shouldn't." I quirk an eyebrow and look over at him.

"What do you mean? Like, a pill or some shit?"

"Yep. Someone will tell her it's candy and bam! She's running around the house hallucinating. Although, we probably won't be able to tell the difference, huh?" he muses. I smack him for a second time, knowing he could potentially be right, but not wanting that to happen to poor little Cat. For whatever reason, I have soft spot for the delusional red-head.

"Damn, that's so possible that now I'm going to have to be sure it doesn't happen. Poor kid's head will explode. Hmm...I think Andre's gonna get with a girl this time. He's been so polite and sweet that I think it's time he actually makes a move." I watch as Beck weighs the idea in his head, and eventually, a small smile forms on his lips.

"Yeah...dude deserves a nice chick. And a little action. Okay, next is Trina." We both look at each other as he says this, and burst out laughing.

"Okay, let's do this one together." I begin, "First, she'll come_ way_ over dressed." Beck shakes his head in agreement, still laughing

"Yes! And the thing is, she could actually look pretty good, but she'll start drinking and immediately pretend she's way drunker than she is." I pound my fists down next to me, laughing even harder now.

"And then she'll try to get with some guy who will spend the entire night running away from her." I add. By this point, Beck and I are in stitches.

"Lastly, she'll end up kissing a girl, someone will take a picture, and she'll tell every boy at the party about it. By Monday, it'll be old news, but she won't let it go." He finishes, both of us still laughing. It may not be too funny to others, but in our high state, it's fucking hilarious, especially because we'll probably be right. . I hold out an open palm, and Beck slaps it; a high-five for a perfect Trina prediction.

"Oh Trina Vega; she never ceases to make me nauseous and amused all at once." I calm my laughter and lay back again, looking even more forward to the party than I was before.

"Hmm..well, what about Tori?" Beck asks as he turns his body to face me, still sitting up.

"What about her? Beck, you know she's not going to go."

"I don't know, Jade. I kind of think that she might take a chance this time. I mean, you pushed her pretty hard." I groan loudly and roll my eyes.

"And your point is?"

"Well, if she goes, what predictions do you make about her?" His tone is much softer now, and I know it's his attempt at trying to get me to talk, as if I have something to open up about.

"Jeez...I don't fucking know! She'll probably stand awkwardly in a corner, holding a drink she never actually drinks, and then will leave after an hour, going home to confess her sins and accept punishment." My words are harsh as they exit my mouth, and Beck can feel my hostility instantly. He takes a deep breath and shakes it off, so used to my mood swings by now.

"Well, I don't think she'd be like that. I think she'd be fun and have a good time. And I also think she'd spend the better part of the night with you._ Especially_ if she's drinking." He turns away now, as if what he just said isn't something that would raise any interest in me. He always pulls this crap and it always lures me in. I sit up again, grabbing his arm and turning him back towards me.

"What? What do you mean by that? Why would you even say that?" I study his face, trying to figure out what game he's playing, but seeing zero emotion. Typical Beck. He shrugs, picking at the roof beneath us.

"I don't know; She always wants your acceptance. I just figure she'd try to impress you all night. Ya know, show off her bad side or whatever." Beck stands up, looking at his watch and stretching. "Anyway, it's late. I gotta get going." I nod silently, following his lead and heading back inside. Beck walks himself out while I stay in my room, lost in Beck's stupid words. Of course he had to say that, of fucking course.

Why does Vega want my acceptance so badly? Does it really bother her that I don't like her? I mean, I like her more than I used to; is that not enough?! I plop onto my bed, turning my TV on and my light off. I get under the covers, not really watching what's on the screen. Once again, Tori Vega has invaded my head, and once again, I hate every moment of it. I force my eyes shut and turn away from the bright screen, hoping I'll succumb to sleep. It shouldn't be a problem, considering I'm much more stoned than I previously thought. I smile softly as my thoughts fade away.

**Tori's POV**

I tossed and turned last night thinking about Jade's words, and I can't help but believe that she's actually right. Everything good that has happened to me is because I took a risk or didn't worry about the consequences. And every time they all go out, I do sit alone, wishing that I was doing something fun. Sure, I've never been to a party, but it's not like I'll be alone if I go. I'll be with all of my friends, and if something goes wrong, I know I'll have them to lean on.

Well, I don't know how much I trust Cat, Trina or Robbie when drunk; they're difficult to deal with when sober. But I feel the rest of them could help me out if need be, even Jade. Although I wouldn't hear the end of it with her.

Still, lying to my parents or sneaking out is keeping me from giving a definite yes. I sigh, leaning my head on the window of Trina's car as she sings at the top of her lungs and drives like she's blind. How did she pass her road test and I didn't? There are some things in this world that no one will ever understand.

As we enter the parking lot, Trina exits her car and immediately walks away, not waiting for me, of course. I run to catch up with her, thinking maybe a little sisterly advice would be good, even if it is from Trina.

"Trina! Hey! Wait up!" I shout, throwing my bag over my shoulder. "I...I need to talk to you."

"Okay...what is it?" She doesn't even look at me when she speaks, she just keeps moving, flipping her hair anytime we walk past a mildly attractive guy.

"Well...you know the party Friday night that everyone is going to? Well...I'm sort of considering going..." Trina stops walking, and lowers her sunglasses to look at me.

"Wait, are you serious? Like, you're going to sneak out with me, go to a party, get drunk and actually have fun? You're not bull shitting me?"

"Well, I didn't say that I-" I'm cut off my Trina's arms around my neck, smothering me into a deep hug.

"Oh baby sister! I knew the day would come when we would bond over lies and alcohol! You'll have a great time! You'll see! And don't worry; I've never gotten caught sneaking out! Well, except that one time but..." Trina let's go, her eyes following some guy that's walking behind me. "Oh. My. God. Who is he?! How have I never seen him?! I gotta go, Tor!" She pushes past me and runs over to the mystery boy, who looks terrified by the stampeding Trina coming his way. I sigh heavily and enter school, annoyed that Trina was zero help.

I start walking to my locker, still weighing options in my head. I know I'll have fun, so I just have to stop being afraid of my parents. Right?

Not paying attention to where I'm going, I crash into what feels like a wall. I stumble back a bit and look up, my expression changing to anger when I see Ryder Daniels standing there, looking down at me.

"Ugh, sorry Ryder." I mutter, trying to walk around him. Unfortunately, he moves back in front of me before I can get away.

"Oh, so you humiliate me and then crash into me? Mixed singles, there." he half jokes. I roll my eyes, not answering him and continuing on towards my locker.

"Hey, wait up!" he shouts as he walks beside me. "Come on, you're still mad? I mean, if it helps, you were enjoyable at times." I stop walking as he says this, glaring at him when our eyes meet.

"Ryder, you're such a jerk. You deserved what you got, and you deserve the loneliness you have now. So just leave _me_ alone, okay?" I storm off, but he doesn't seem to get it, and still follows me.

"Lonely? Ha, what a joke! I'm never too lonely. Of course, you wouldn't know. I never see you outside of school. You're quite the cool kid, huh? Have you ever even been to a party?" He snickers as I get to my locker and start opening it, knowing my face is turning redder with every word he says. He leans against the locker next to mine with this stupid smug look on his face.

"Aw, you upset now? It's not my fault you're no fun. Maybe I wouldn't have used you if you weren't-" I suddenly hear what sounds like Ryder groaning, and I look over to see Jade between us with Beck at her side. Ryder is holding his stomach, and I can't even imagine what Jade just did.

"Dude, why are you near her? Get out of here, you fuck." Jade snarls, staring him down like a hawk.

"Yeah, man. Beat it. She already got you once, don't make her do it again." Beck chimes in, making sure Ryder doesn't lift a hand at Jade. Ryder seethes, his eyes showing fury. He looks past them both and sets his gaze on me for a moment before finally walking away. Jade and Beck turn and face me, and I can't help but allow a big smile to come across my face.

"Thanks guys. He was getting on my last nerve." I grab my books out of my locker and close it, leaning against it as I chat with Beck and Jade.

"No problem, Tori. He shouldn't be around you anyway." Beck smiles softly at me, and it's times like these when I wonder why I couldn't just like him and enjoy a nice boyfriend. I don't know what it is, but I can't bring myself to want more with him. He's just such a good friend, and I hope he's as grateful for our friendship as I am.

"What did the douche bag want, anyway?" I shake my head at Jade's lovely language and start walking to class with them.

"Nothing really. Just being Ryder Daniels and talking a lot but not really saying anything." We enter Sikowitz class, and Beck walks to sit over by André and Robbie. I make my way to my usual seat, with Jade a row behind me. She pulls out a pair of scissors and starts mindlessly cutting up a piece of paper while we wait for whatever grand entrance Sikowtiz will have today.

I smile to myself as I recall Jade's actions a few moments ago. I don't understand her; she says so often how she doesn't like me, but then she does things like that? Why? And why can't she just be my friend?

And why is Ryder such a jerk? God, everything he said was so frustrating. It's like he read my thoughts and knew just how to get under my skin. He's so manipulative; I'm glad I embarrassed him at The Full Moon Jam.

I am fun. I am a lot of fun. And I am going to prove it. I lean back, looking over at Jade again and wave my hand.

"Hey...Jade!" I break her of her trance, and she looks over at me with no expression on her face.

"Yes, Vega?"

"I thought about what you said in The Black Box yesterday." She raises an eyebrow and tilts her head slightly to the side.

"Oh yeah? And what's on your mind?" she looks at me with challenging eyes, and I almost lose my train of thought as I stare into them. I shake my head and take a deep breath.

"Show me the ropes, and I'll go." I say, half expecting her to laugh and half expecting her to roll her eyes and go back to cutting her paper. But instead, she smirks, looking intrigued by my response.

"Okay, Vega. If you swear you won't chicken out and leave the party after an hour, then you've got yourself a deal. But sneaking out is all on you." I nod enthusiastically, excitement consuming my body.

"I promise, Jade! I will stay as long as you want! So it looks like we have a deal, huh?!" She goes back to no expression again, with her mouth slightly hung and her eyes dim.

"I'm bored with this now. Stop talking." Jade says flatly as she goes back to her piece of paper. I roll my eyes and face forward again. Take that, Ryder. I'll get to see you and all your imaginary women. What a joke!

And it looks like I've reached a decision. Come tomorrow, I will finally have a good night with my friends. I will sneak out, drink, dance, laugh, and above all else, prove that Tori Vega is fun.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again! Thank you all for your reviews and kind words. I really appreciate them and am glad to hear you're into the story. After this chapter, a lot of things will pick up, so bear with me and stay tuned. **

**Enjoy Chapter Three!**

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**Tori's POV**

I think I've tried on about eight different outfits before finally settling on one; A pair of black skinny jeans with a red off-the-shoulder top. I made my hair into big curls; I always preferred my hair curly to straight. I toss on a pair of black fashion boots and start to accessorize when Trina comes barging in, shutting the door and locking it behind her. She has a robe and shower cap on, and there's green stuff all over her face.

"Um...you do know we're supposed to leave in a half hour...right, Trina?" I start applying light make-up to my face as she paces back and forth through my room.

"You are such a twit sometimes! You can't get all dressed up out in the open! What if mom and dad come by?! They'll know we're not staying in tonight!" She whispers fiercely at me, rummaging through my closet and grabbing every over-sized sweater I have. "Put one of these on, stat!" I roll my eyes, finishing my make up and turning to face her.

"So you're telling me I have to look like crap to go to this party?" I eye her outfit, and she groans, opening her robe and removing her shower cap. She reveals a very short black dress, and her hair falls down at her shoulders in small curls. Just when I think she can't surprise me any further, she pulls off the green stuff, revealing it was a mask.

"Tori, you've got a lot to learn." She checks herself out in my mirror, blowing a kiss to her reflection before she starts to tie her robe back up.

"Okay, Trina. I get your plan, and I'm sure it's worked dozens of times. But I think I have a better idea. Take off your silly get up, look nice, and meet me downstairs."

"I swear to God, Tori, if you mess up this night for me by trying to play the honesty card with mom and dad, I'll never speak to you again!"

"Promise?" I chuckle at my response as Trina stomps out of my room and back into hers. I gather my things and throw them into my purse, looking myself over in the mirror once more.

"You got this, Tori. It's just a party. You'll be with all of your friends and have an awesome time. Just relax and stop worrying." I nod at my reflection and head out of my room, Trina meeting me in the hall way.

"Your plan better be good, Tori." Trina mutters as we make our way down the stairs. My mom is in the kitchen washing a couple of dishes while my father is on the living room couch, reading the paper. He has the TV on, but it's more for background noise. I keep my pace natural, Trina tagging along behind. I pray that she doesn't try improvising too much and destroy my plan; her acting can be a bit...much. My mom looks up from the dishes, smiling when she sees us.

"Hey girls, don't you both look lovely! Where are you off to?" Her tone is sweet, but I know underneath, she's suspicious because I'm with Trina. She thinks better of me then to do something I'm not allowed to do, but she knows Trina is basically unstoppable.

I wouldn't say my parents are super strict, but they aren't so keen on parties. I did ask last year if I could go to one, but when they found out there was no parental supervision and that there'd probably be alcohol, I was instantly denied. Did I mention that I have a hard time not telling my parents the truth about everything?

Well that stops now.

"Thanks, mom. We're heading to Nozu to meet up with a few friends and get some food. Then we're going to Karaoke Dokie to sing a bit. Is that alright?"

My mom's suspicious eyes soften, and I realize I'm actually getting away with it.

"Of course that's fine. And...you're bringing Trina, too?"

I tense a little; my mom knows I'd never willingly bring Trina with me, mostly because all of my friends hate her.

"Well if she wants to get there she's going to need someone to drive her, since she, as we all remember, failed her road test." Trina snickers, elbowing me gently to go along with it. I'm pleasantly surprised, and play off of her words.

"Yes, Trina. I failed. We all know. But you gotta promise not to be all over Beck! He's not into you!" I grin, knowing I mean this both in our improv and in reality. She glares at me, but keeps quiet, thank goodness.

"Well, you girls have fun. We'll probably be asleep by the time you get home, but promise me you won't be out too late! Midnight is curfew, got it?" Trina rolls her eyes and starts walking towards the door. I walk over to my mom and hug her, giving her a reassuring smile.

"I'll make sure we're back in time, mom. No worries." She nods and walks back into the kitchen, while I give my dad a hug and meet Trina at the car.

"Well, baby sister, I guess that was okay. Now let's get going! Oh, and by the way, Beck so wants me. He's just is in denial."

"Whatever you say, Trina." I take a deep breath as she starts driving towards the party. Here we go!

**Jade's POV**

I laugh hysterically, finishing off my first drink as I watch Robbie attempt to arm wrestle André. For a bit, André pretended it was tough, just to mess with Robbie. But then, in one swift move, Robbie was down and out. For losing, Robbie had to take a shot. Cat giggled, watching intently with her eye lashes batting his way. To impress her, he took the shot and acted as if it didn't burn. The moment she looked away, he downed a sweet drink to rid himself of the shot taste. I looked Beck's way, raising an eyebrow, and he just chuckled, knowing that my prediction about Robbie was probably going to be correct.

The party itself was getting underway; people playing games, dancing or just hanging out and chatting. There were already a lot of people here and tons more would be showing up. The house itself was quite large, with three main big rooms downstairs alone. The upstairs had five bed rooms and another large room where people usually smoked. There was a huge yard with a pool and jacuzzi. People didn't really use them unless it was a pool-themed party, but they were still a really nice addition.

"Yo Beck, wanna play beer pong?" André shouts, grabbing a bunch of cups off the kitchen counter. "Free table in the other room and I'm claiming it!"

Beck nodded, grabbing a six-pack of beer and following behind. "Partners?" Beck held out his free hand as the two slapped up."Jade, find a partner and play!" Beck called as he disappeared into the other room. I look around for a potential team-mate. Currently, Robbie was listening to Cat go on about a dream she had, and I don't even need to hear it to be able to guess it's about a tiger, giraffe, or unicorn.

As I turn my head to the rest of the party, eyeing potential candidates, I see the door swing open and a very loud Trina Vega comes barging in. I roll my eyes, guessing my prediction about her will be right as well. It dawns on me that if Trina is here then Tori...

Whoa.

Is...is that her?

My jaw drops slightly as I seen a glowing Tori Vega walk awkwardly through the door and into the house. She smiles softly, and I can tell she's uncomfortable. But something about her shyness is...it's endearing. And then her outfit...it's so unlike her. Black jeans? A low-cut red top, and it actually shows some skin? And those boots...what is this?

I swallow hard, opening another beer and chugging half of it down as quickly as possible. I guess she was serious about taking a risk, huh? I finally regain my senses and a small, devious smile forms on my lips. I quickly grab a cup, making a mixed drink and grabbing a case of beer. I move through the mass of people, making my way to Vega.

"Well, well! Looks like Tori Vega made it." I say, swaying my hips as I walk over to her, handing her the mixed drink. "It's one of those fruity drinks. I figured I'd start you off with something tolerable. Now come on! You're my partner in pong."

She tentatively takes the drink from me, looking down at it awkwardly as she quirks an eyebrow. "Um...pong?" she question, and I can't help but chuckle at her naïvety.

"Just follow me, Vega. And by the way, you don't look like a pink cloud threw up all over you today. It's refreshing." She playfully rolls her eyes, taking a small sip from her drink.

"Gee, thanks Jade. You're so sweet." she says sarcastically. "But for what it's worth, you look really great." She smiles sincerely and starts walking with me to the next room.

I don't let her words linger on my skin; I can't let them get into my head. After all, who wouldn't think I look good tonight? I wore a tight black skirt, a dark purple v-neck shirt and my black combat boots, of course. And I may have a little more cleavage than I should. Sue me; I work with what I've got.

"Hey guys, found me a partner. You might know her, but also might like her just a bit more tonight." I joke as I put the case of beer down and step aside for Beck and André to see Tori.

"Dang, girl! You look fine!" André says, running over to her for a hug. "So glad you finally came out."

Tori beams as she wraps her arms around André, giggling as he spins her around. Beck, however, just looks in shock. He looks at her like she's on fire; as if he's never seen anything like her before. I feel my fists clenching as I step closer to Vega, pulling her from André and dragging her towards me.

"Come on, I gotta teach you how to play." I say with no emotion. I begin setting up the cups, and I see Beck doing the same, keeping his gaze from Tori.

What was that? It certainly wasn't jealousy; I didn't care that he was looking at Vega instead of me, I just didn't want him looking at her in general. His eyes had such lust in them, and I know despite what he may say, part of him still wants her. And I don't like that one bit.

But why?! If I don't want Beck, then why do I care who he looks at?

"So...how do I play?" I snap my head up, realizing I've been silent for an awkward amount of time.

"Oh...yeah. Okay, so first we fill up each cup about halfway with beer. Essentially we have to get our pong balls in their cups and they're going to try to do the same to us. We take turns. If they land in these three cups at any point, you drink what's in them. And these three are mine. We want to get all their cups out before they get ours. Get it?" Tori nods, drinking more of the mixed drink I made her.

"But before we play, you gotta chug that down." I say with a smirk on my face. She hesitates, looking down nervously. Her drink is about half gone, so I pick up my half empty beer and hold it up.

"Cheers, Vega!" She smiles at this, as we clink cups and down our drinks. I'm surprised by how well Vega does, and as soon as we finish, we start-up the game. At first she struggles to get a good idea on how easy or hard to throw the ball. But after a couple tries, she sinks one. She jumps up and down, clapping her hands and screaming as she does. All I do is roll my eyes, trying to fight the smile creeping across my lips.

The game ends after being tied one to one for far too long. And unfortunately, André sunk the last shot. I decide I need another drink after our defeat, and start to walk away when I realize Vega's instantly by my side. Something about that excites me, and I bet Beck kind of hates it.

But then it dawns on me; he was 100% correct about his prediction. She chugged the drink down, she played a drinking game, and both were to impress me. And like he said would happen, she's consistently by my side. I'm not sure if I'm angry about Beck being right or if I actually don't mind her sucking up to me.

"Sorry I wasn't so great at that game." she says softly, looking down at the ground as we walk.

"For a first timer, you did alright. Think you're up for another drink ?" I ask as I grab myself another beer.

"Yeah, could you make it yummy like the first one? Beer is okay...just...not as tasty." She giggles a bit and holds out a cup to me.

"Sure thing, Vega."

I start mixing her drink when I notice he expression change from silly to serious in less than a second. I quirk an eyebrow and turn around to see her gaze focused on Ryder, who is coming this way. I quickly finish her drink and hand it to her.

"Come on, Tori. Let's go somewhere else." I grab her wrist to pull her away, but she doesn't move. I turn around to see her staring down Ryder as her approaches her.

"Oh look, it's Tori Vega. She actually stepped foot outside of her house." He laughs at his own joke and drinks down a beer.

"Oh look, it's Ryder Daniels. And look what there isn't? Girls who want to be around him! You're just as pathetic as I imagined." She smirks, giving him a head nod before she starts walking away, following me elsewhere.

"Nice one, Vega. Didn't know you had that sass in you."

"I always have sass when it comes to Ryder. Now come on, let's go have a good time!"

I smirk, liking this side of Vega that's starting to show.

_**Later that night...**_

The group of us spent a better portion of the night chatting it up and drinking. I even managed to get Vega to take a shot, which she despised immensely. I couldn't help but laugh as she ranted and raved about how horrible it tasted.

But the funny thing is, whether she wanted to admit it or not, she was having a lot of fun. And she was drunk.

And drunk Vega was fucking hilarious.

She not only talked much louder than she needed to, but she had zero filter. She said and did everything that came to her mind, and I couldn't believe some of the profanities that left her mouth. She had everyone cracking up without even trying, and even I couldn't fight the laughter.

To our defense, we were all pretty drunk as well, especially Robbie, just as I guessed. So far, though, he wasn't getting sick, which even though it would be hilarious, I guess it's a good thing.

"So Tori, how are you liking the party?" Beck asks stupidly, his eyes fawning over the Latina standing next to him.

"What a dumb question! I'm obviously having fun! Duh!" she almost shouts, immediately laughing. I can't help but point at Beck and start cracking up, especially since he was so taken back by her answer.

"I like drunk Tori. She's one funny bitch." I say, raising my drink up and taking a sip. She smiles, her cheeks flushed from drinking.

"Well, drunk Tori thinks drunk Jade is...meh..." she teases, walking over and standing by me. Beck runs his hands awkwardly through his hair, and I can tell that he is torn about Tori. I know he's my friend, but can't he just take a hint? She's clearly not into him.

"I'm gonna go get some air..." Beck says, turning to leave.

"Beck, wait! Let me join you!" Robbie stumbles behind, trying to catch up to Beck.

"Well I wanna dance!" Cat pouts, stamping her feet down. I groan and look over at André who disappeared for a little while and came back looking stoned as fuck.

"Well, André? Don't just stand there; take Kitty Cat to dance!" I command. He looks up through glazed eyes, sighing and shrugging as Cat grabs his hand and pulls him into the crowd. I look back to Vega, who's still standing in front of me, eyes bloodshot and mouth in a small smile. My vision is kind of hazy, and I realize the alcohol is starting to hit me a bit. I take another sip of my drink as I raise an eyebrow at Vega.

"What's up? Feelin' good?" She giggles again when I say this, and I don't know why, but I don't question it.

"Yeah...I'm having a lot of fun. Thanks for letting me hang all over you all night."

"Oh, Tori. You weren't hanging all over me." I turn and point into the crowd, easily spotting Trina draping her body all over a boy who looks like he'd rather be anywhere but here.

"That is what it looks like when you hang all over someone." She rolls her eyes at Trina, and I can see she's fighting a smile.

"Oh, so you mean if I were to be like...this?" Suddenly, Vega wraps her arms around my neck and throws her body against mine. "Oh, Jade! I'm so drunk! Pay attention to me!" I do admit, her Trina impression is pretty spot on. Without thinking, I wrap my arm around her waist, my hand resting on her lower back. She either doesn't notice or doesn't mind, but she continues to mock her sister from afar, who is completely oblivious to it.

"Jesus Vega! You're a bit too convincing there. If you wanted to feel me up, you could've just told me." Though I say this as a joke, I notice her quickly tense up, and without a word, we immediately release each other. Suddenly, things are awkward, and I'm not sure why.

"Sorry...I didn't meant to be so good at being Trina..." I can't tell if she's trying to be light-hearted or not, but I decide to shake it off and just playfully push her.

"Yeah, no one wants to be good at that." She doesn't react much to what I say. Her eyes are glued to the floor and she start fidgeting with her hands.

"Jade? Can I ask you something?"

"What's up, Vega?" She sways back and forth a bit before finally looking up at me.

"Why are you being so nice to me tonight? And why can't you always be nice to me?"

I sigh, knowing that I'd eventually hear these questions from her tonight. Normally I wouldn't be so open, but I have this bad habit of saying too much when I've been drinking.

"I don't know, Vega. Half of it is that I'm not really a kind-spirited person. But I'm sure even you could figure that out. But the rest...welll...sometimes you piss me off, Vega. You know, this is the first time I've ever seen you be completely yourself; you're not always second guessing what you do or say and you're not trying to be sweet or perfect. I know that who you are is mostly those things, but there's so much more and I guess...well, fuck, Vega! You're fun and you fucking hide it! You work to please everyone else, so what about yourself? Be a selfish bitch for once. Stop living up to standards others set for you."

I watch as she listens intently, drinking my words in as if they were her last. When I finish, she smiles, and I'm surprised by it. I pretty much expected her to run away, break down or cry. And while I wouldn't want any of those things to happen, I can't help my honestly.

"You're right, Jade. You're absolutely right. And I'm glad I know now." Her eyes stare deep into mine, and in that moment, I realize I can't form any words. I just stand there, staring back, my heart beat increasing.

"Hey Jade!" I'm broken from my trance by Beck, motioning behind Tori that he wants to go upstairs and smoke.

"Hey Tor, I'll be back in a bit. I'm going to go somewhere with Beck. Be alright with Cat, André and Robbie?"

A strange mix of emotions came across Vega's face, and for some reason, I suddenly felt the need to explain myself.

"It's nothing like that, Vega. Me and him are just friends." Why did I explain myself? Why?! I don't need to explain anything to her.

"No worries, Jade. I'll be fine for a while. Thanks for your concern, though!" Vega quickly scurries off to find André and Cat while I finally have a moment of space to breathe. Fuck, what is Vega doing to me? I shake my thoughts once again and I follow Beck's lead. We head upstairs and into "The Smoking Room". A couple kids are already in here, but after a few head nods and quiet hello's, Beck and I get comfortable in the far corner of the room. I pull out my pot while he takes out rolling paper and starts rolling a joint for us.

"So, how's being around Tori all night? You ready to burst yet?" He asks, sparking up the joint and taking a hit.

"Actually, she's fairly tolerable." I take the joint and inhale deeply, relaxing my back against the wall and enjoying the familiarity. I take another small hit and pass it back.

"I don't know...I think she's being kind of weird." He takes the joint and looks up at the ceiling. "I mean, she's suddenly got this attitude I'm not used to."

"Aww, poor Beck can't handle Big Bad Tori?"

"Shut up, Jade. You know what I mean. The difference is that you like her bad attitude." He slowly takes a drag, almost pouting about Tori.

"No, I like that she's not trying to be Little Miss Perfect right now and instead is having fun. Vega may be all rainbows and sunshine but every person has their storm clouds."

"Oh wise Jade, do tell me everything you know!" I push him playfully, taking the joint and inhaling sharply one last time before I decide any more would be a bad idea.

"I've drank a good amount. I think I'm ready to go dance it up. Wanna come join? You can fawn over Vega." I stand up, watching as he glares at me.

"You're such a pain in the ass sometimes. Come on, we'll fawn together. Don't act like you're not doing it, too." He gets up and starts walking towards the door, while I grunt and follow behind. We slowly make our way down the stairs, mostly because we're both pretty intoxicated. I see Cat and André, and make my way over to them.

"Well someone looks stoned." André remarks, his eyes still not looking better.

"You're one to talk. Where's Vega and Robbie?"

"Hi! I'm Cat!" She throws her arms around me, and it's pretty clear she's wasted.

"I know, Cat. Now where's Vega?" I look around, starting to worry that maybe she got sick or something.

"Oh! Uh...I don't know...I thought she was here..." Cat responds, being of absolutely no use.

"Yeah, I honestly don't know either. She was here a moment ago..." André notes. I look over at Beck, both of our faces showing panic.

"Hello friends!" Robbie comes over to us, still stumbling and pushing through the sea of people. "What are we all up to?"

"Robbie, did you see Vega recently?" I ask, much more forcefully than I intended.

"Yeah! She went upstairs a bit ago with Ryder."

My feel my face go pale, and I almost get dizzy.

"How long ago? Did she say why?" I feel Beck put his hand on my shoulder, trying to calm me down.

"I don't know...maybe ten minutes? A little more? And we only passed each other on the stairs so I didn't get much detail. I guess he was trying to apologize to her or something."

I don't buy that.; I don't buy that for a fucking second. Ryder is not a good guy and he knows that Tori is not only a kind soul, but she's drunk, making it easier to manipulate her. Without a second thought, I turn around and run back up the stairs, Beck following closely behind.

"Jade, chill! What's your deal?!"

"Beck, it's Ryder! Nothing good could come of him being alone with Tori." As I get up the stairs, I open a few doors, most rooms empty, one with a couple making out, which I didn't apologize for interrupting. They were ugly, anyway.

Suddenly, I hear a scream. I turn and look at Beck, just to make sure I wasn't hearing things. His face looked as shocked as mine, and we simultaneously run down the hallway, trying to follow the sound. After checking a couple more rooms and finding them to be empty, I see one door we haven't checked. From the outside it looks like a coat closet, and despite its size, I decide to walk over and check inside.

When I open the door, I'm almost sick from the sight I see.

Tori is topless, wrists tied up to the pole above her. Her face is red and swollen and she looks pale. And then I see him, and I feel every amount of anger and rage I've ever dealt with explode all at once.

_"What the fuck are you doing to her?!_"


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again! This chapter will be completely in Jade's POV, but I promise Tori's will come back into play during the next one. Thank you all for the really great reviews; they make me feel special. =P I hope this does not disappoint, and that you all enjoy where this story leads.**

**A word of advice from a survivor of rape: If something like this happens to you, it is never your fault. It is important to tell someone who can rectify the situation, and in many cases, counseling is a great idea. I have gotten a few PM's about this and I am so glad to be able to help any and all of you with any struggles you're facing. Sometimes talking to a stranger is easier than talking to someone who knows you well.**

**Just know that it is NEVER your fault. Ever.**

**Onto Chapter Four...  
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**Jade's POV**

I couldn't stop myself; I was at my boiling point, throwing punch after punch. I couldn't get enough of the blood pouring from his face; I wanted to kill him. And in that moment, I would have, had I not heard the saddest, most heart-breaking noise of my life.

"...thank you..." I look up, seeing Tori's eyes roll to the back of her head. In an instant, I forgot about the my the burning anger within me, and threw myself towards Tori. I begin untying her wrists from above her, when I hear an ear-piercing scream. I turn to see Cat, Robbie, André and Trina, all undoubtedly coming to see why I was so frantic about finding Tori. Cat has her mouth covered, tears swelling in her eyes, while Robbie stands in shock, unable to move. I notice André going towards Beck, who is looking over the mutilated body I just destroyed. Ryder tries to pull himself up, and as André is about to make a move, Trina comes sprinting by, a fire raging in her eyes.

"You fuck! What the hell did you do to my baby sister?! I'll fucking kill you!" Trina lifts him by his collar with ease, pinning him to the wall with one hand and knocking his teeth in with the other. No one knew Trina had such incredible strength, and it takes both Beck and André to get her to stop. Ryder collapses to the ground, not moving again this time.

Meanwhile, Tori collapses into my arms. I take my jacket off and quickly cover her exposed upper body with it. I cuddle her close to me, holding her as tight as I possibly can without harming her any further. I couldn't believe it; how could this happen? I run my fingers through her hair, gently shaking her, hoping to wake her.

"Come on, Tori. Please...please wake up. I'm going to take care of you...please...just let me know you're okay." I start to feel tears swell in my eyes, and I don't care that they're falling freely down my face. I start rocking her, sobbing over the mangled body in my arms. I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to see Cat, her eyes in disbelief. I know everyone is intoxicated, but this is so unreal and so unexpected that none of us really know what to do with ourselves.

"Jade...is Tori going to be...okay?" Cat's question is full of such sadness and innocence, that I can bring myself to answer her. Beck now has control over Trina, who is shaking in his arms, while André comes over and pulls Cat into his.

"Listen, Cat...physically, Tori is pretty banged up. But she'll be okay. But...emotionally...she might not be..." André explains to Cat, who stands there, unable to muster up a reaction.

"Guys...what do we do?" Robbie finally speaks up, his face pale and his body wavering. I look around, still holding Tori close to me.

"We need to tell the police...and we need to get Tori out of here." Beck says, still comforting a wild Trina.

"If we call the cops...won't we get in trouble for the party?" Robbie speaks almost in whispers now, and I can tell this is way too much for him to handle.

"That doesn't matter, Robbie. Tori matters." André says, taking a deep breath and turning towards me. "Jade, think you can get her out of here? She can talk to the police later. For now, we can stay here and wait for the cops while keeping an eye on Ryder."

"I can't drive...I've drank too much." I admit, feeling worthless. All I want is to protect Tori, and I can't even manage to do that. Trina leaves Beck's arms, coming over towards me and kneeling by my side.

"Jade...come to my house. I can drive; I barely drank. My parents will be asleep, and we can take care of Tori. And later when I have to go to my room so they're not suspicious, you can stay with her. And then in the morning, we'll figure the rest out."

I nod slowly, lifting Tori as I stand up. I always knew Trina didn't really drink at parties, and over exaggerated her actions. But right now, I couldn't be more thankful for that. I look around at everyone and we all silently agree on our plan. Tori matters, and that's all that matters now. Ryder starts stirring again, and it takes all of my strength not to repeat my actions from earlier. As Trina and I head to the stairs, I suddenly hear the reaction that was building in Cat; A loud scream followed by a shatter. We both turn quickly to see a knocked out Ryder covered in broken glass, and Cat being held back by André. She must've grabbed something like a vase in the hall and smashed it over him. She struggles against André until she starts sobbing uncontrollably. I sigh, and look at Trina who read my thoughts perfectly.

"Cat, come with us. You can stay with me tonight, okay?" Trina says softly. Cat nods frantically and runs over to Trina, wrapping her arms around her waist.

"Okay, we need to get out of here as unnoticed as possible. Everyone is pretty messed up, so it shouldn't be a problem. Just follow me." I speak with confidence, but every time I look at the limp body in my arms, I feel my heart tear into pieces.

We quickly move down the stairs and immediately towards the door. A couple of kids see me carrying someone, but just assume it's a drunk girl. Luckily, no one realized it was Tori and no one had a clue what she had been through.

We get into Trina's car, Cat taking the passenger seat while I take the back, allowing Tori to spread out comfortably across my lap. The silence in the car is heavy, and each of us are want nothing more than to break down or scream. But for Tori, we stay as strong as we can.

How could this happen? What made Tori think she could trust Ryder? What did he say to her that lead her to follow him? Was it because she was drunk? I mean...she hasn't really been drunk before. It could be that. And if it was because of that...does it mean that this is my fault? I pressured Tori into coming and I gave her the alcohol. If it hadn't been for me, she'd be safe at home, and none of this would've happened. I start to feel sick again, and if it weren't for the sudden stirring beneath me, I think I would've thrown up.

"Tori? Can you hear me?" I look down as she starts groaning and moving a bit. Her eyes are squeezed tightly shut, meaning she's at least regaining consciousness. All of a sudden, her breath hitches and she starts flailing her body, thrashing about.

"No! Let me go! Get your disgusting hands off of me! Help!" she starts screaming, and I work to keep her calm so Trina can concentrate on driving. Cat turns around, unsure of what to do, but I can see the worry in her eyes.

"No, Tori! It's Jade! And I've got you...it's just me, Cat and Trina. And I'm holding you. No one is here that can hurt you...I won't let anybody hurt you. Just breathe, Tori. I'm here." I watch as she starts to calm down, and her eyes open slowly.

"Jade? You...you saved me..." Before I can protest, she sits up on my lap and her arms fly around my neck, hugging me with as much strength as her weakened body can manage. "Thank you, Jade...where are we going? And what happened to...him...?" I hear her starting to cry, and I tentatively wrap my arms around her waist, trying to make her feel as safe as possible.

"We're taking you home. Trina's driving and Cat's up front. Don't worry, we're not waking your parents or anything. He's being taken care of and we'll discuss it tomorrow. Just relax and know you're safe now. I...I'll protect you..." I feel myself grip tighter onto her, unable to still truly believe what I saw was real when I opened that closet door. Tori rests her head on my shoulder, and I look at Cat who reaches out and rubs Tori's back. Trina looks at us in her rear view mirror for a moment, and I can't help but be slightly amazed at her actions tonight. She really cares about Tori.

We pull into their drive way, and though Tori is awake now, I still carry her as I did before. I know I'm being paranoid, but I worry that the moment I let go of her, something bad will happen again. We quietly make our way through the door and up the stairs into Tori's room. Her parents door is shut, and a dull light from what I assume is a TV glows through the cracks. I hear no movement, which settles my nerves a bit. I lay Tori gently on her bed as Trina gets pajamas for her to change into. I send Cat back downstairs to get Tori water, cautioning her to be silent. I head to the bathroom, grabbing a first aid kit and some ibuprofen for any pain she is experiencing.

When I return to the room, Tori is changed and Trina and her are in a tight embrace. I can see tears streaming down Trina's face as she holds her baby sister. I clear my throat awkwardly as I enter, so they know I've returned, and sit on the end of the bed.

"Tori, is it okay if I clean up the gash on your face? I really don't want you to get an infection." I can't seem to look her in the eye, but from my peripheral, I see her nod. Trina moves from her spot next to Tori, allowing me to take her place.

"I'll grab you something to wear to bed, Jade. I assume my clothes might fit you a bit better than Tori's." This brings a small smile to her lips, and even soothes me a bit.

"Yeah...we're a little too blessed, huh?" I respond dryly. She lets out a very small chuckle, both of us trying in our own unusual way to console the other. She exits and it's just me and Tori. I look down at her, and when her soft brown eyes meet mine, I quickly have to look away. I start taking out the antiseptic and pouring it onto a small cotton cloth. I look at the wound, fuming deep down. How could he hit her? How? I swallow hard as I start gently wiping it, noticing he did break the skin as I do. She flinched, and grabs my free hand. I tense a little, but continue what I'm doing, never speaking a word.

Cat soon returns with the water, and I finish up with Tori. I hand her a couple ibuprofen and the water, which she generously drinks down. I get up, unable to stand the closeness anymore. My guilt is eating away at me, and I start pacing through Tori's room. Cat sits down, holding Tori's hand and smiling softly.

"All of our friends will be here for you, Tori. All of us. I even helped, ya know. Ask Jade!" I look at Cat, rolling my eyes, but keeping my attitude in check. I need to be as sensitive as possible to both girls right now. Tori looks at me with questioning eyes, and I shrug my shoulders.

"Yeah, Kitty Cat here smashed what I think was a vase over what's his faces head. She knocked him out. Tough little cookie right there." Cat smiles wide and Tori manages a small grin so she can show Cat she appreciates her actions.

Trina soon returns with clothes for me, and rummages through some of Tori's stuff to find something for Cat. I exit into the bathroom to change, taking a moment to collect myself and breathe. I realize I'm not completely sober still, but from where I was, I sobered up a lot.

If I didn't find Tori, Ryder...he would've raped her. He would've went all the way and taken Tori Vega's innocence. And it would've been all my fault. I never meant for this to happen; I just wanted to hang out with Tori at a party and see her loosen up. It was selfish of me, but I thought it'd be good for her. I clearly thought wrong.

I take a deep breath, unable to really comprehend the emotions I'm feeling. I try dismissing them, knowing that right now, I have to focus on Tori. I leave the bathroom and go back into Tori's room, where Cat and Trina are both in pajamas now, saying goodnight to Tori. When they leave the room, I stand awkwardly, not sure of what to do.

"Um...can I get you anything, Tori?" I stare at the ground, shifting my weight back and forth.

"No, I'm okay. Thank you, though." She says softly, her voice sounding raspy and weak.

"Okay. Um...do you have extra pillows and blankets around so I can set up a bed on the floor?"

"Yeah...I do. They're in my closet up at the top." I nod and turn towards her closet, grabbing a couple of blankets to throw down and a pillow. I set up my bed next to hers and turn on her desk lamp, while shutting off her main light. I walk over to the end of her bed and sit down, still staring at the ground.

"I'm really sorry about tonight, Tori. I am so sorry...for everything."

"Jade, stop. It's not your fault. You saved me."

"Tori, no! It is my fault. Don't you see? I pushed you to go to that stupid party and to drink. If you didn't go...Tori...you...and...fuck, Tori! I'm so sorry! I fucked up and I'm so sorry!" I don't allow tears to leave my eyes, but I still can't look at her. I hear her sit up, and feel her hand on my shoulder, squeezing it.

"You're wrong, Jade. I wanted to go out; I've wanted to for so long. And I was having an awesome time with you. You made me realize that I try too hard to please everyone else, and I learned a lot about myself. But...I shouldn't have followed Ryder; I should've known better. He told me he wanted to talk in private, to apologize for everything. I should've known he was tricking me, just like he did for the Full Moon Jam. That's not your fault, Jade. Not at all."

"I shouldn't have left you, though. Not even for that short time."

"But I shouldn't need a baby sitter. And Jade...I don't know how or why you knew to look for me, but you did. And you stopped him. As far as I'm concerned...you're my hero..." I finally look up at her when she says this, and I see the pain and hurt in her puppy dog eyes. It kills me, and without warning, I pull her into my arms. She allows me to hold her close, rocking her back and forth. She cries again, and I can't believe she ever had the strength to stop.

"I'll never let anyone hurt you again, Tori. I promise you that."

After what seemed like forever, I realize that Tori has fallen asleep in my arms. I sigh, squeezing her tightly before laying her down and covering her up in her blankets. I turn her desk lamp off and lay on my bed on the floor.

I don't know what our next step is, but I think we have to tell her parents. I know she'll worry about getting in trouble, but they need to know. I mean, her dad is a cop, he can help us out more than anyone else we know with legal action. And then there's the matter of counseling. I mean, I've denied it for years, but after what Tori's gone through...I feel like it'll be necessary.

Fuck that bastard Ryder. I swear, if I ever see him again, I'll fucking destroy him. Tori Vega is the sweetest girl on the planet; She gives me cavities and a stomach ache all at the same time. Yet, despite how I bully and tease, I could never do something so vile or cruel to her. How could anyone? What kind of monster is he?

I hear Tori's breathing start to become more sporadic and shallow. She starts shaking and whimpering, and I realize very quickly that she's having a nightmare. I jump up to the side of her bed, shaking her as gently as possible.

"Tori...hey...wake up! You're having a nightmare, Tori. I'm here...just wake up..." Her eyes dart open, and stare up at me. I see the tears forming in them again, and I pull her back into my arms.

"He's in my dreams, Jade. He's never going to leave me alone."

"Yes he will, Tori. Just...before bed...uh...think of how, ya know, I could kick his ass. In fact, imagine me kicking his ass. We all know I can take pretty much anyone. So when you go into your dreams, if he's there, I'll be there, too. And I'll destroy him. And then you can go back to your pretty pink Tori Vega dreams. Sound good?"

She pulls away from me to look into my eyes, and I'm surprised to see a real smile form on her lips. She giggles a bit, wiping her tears away.

"Okay...sounds good. But, can I ask you a favor? Just for tonight?"

"So needy. Sure, what's up?"

"Can you lay with me tonight? I'm not ready to be alone...not yet. Please?" There is no way that even the most bitter part of my soul could say no to her request. I simply nod, and take the space next to her as she lays down. I lay on my back, completely still and silent. I'm not used to being near someone again; I haven't laid in a bed with another person since I was with Beck. But I know she needs me here, and I know it's my job to protect her, even if the entire situation makes me uncomfortable.

After a few moments, she turns to face me, sliding her body against mine. I don't fight it, though it makes me incredibly nervous. I'm not so good with human contact, so I awkwardly lift my arm around her shoulders. She happily moves closer, and just like that, I'm cuddling Tori Vega. While part of me wants to say a million rude things about it, another part of me feels like I have some sort of bigger purpose, even if it's only for the night. She's soft and fragile, and I can't imagine what she's thinking or feeling. I can't help but think that Tori is much tougher than she realizes, and that she shouldn't be putting herself down so much, especially during this situation.

"Hey Tori..." I whisper, in hopes she's still awake.

"Yeah, Jade?"

"You're a lot stronger than you think. Just...thought you should know."

"Thanks...and Jade?" I look down, only for my gaze to lock with hers again. This time, I don't look away.

"Yes Tori?"

"You've called me Tori all night, and I'm sure it's killing you. I promise calling me Vega won't upset me." She smiles and I'm sure my face is blushing. I thank whoever is up there that we're in the dark right now so she can't see.

"Alright, if you say so. Sweet dreams, Vega."

"Good night, Jade. And thank you."


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello all! Sorry for taking a bit to update; this chapter was a bit treacherous to write. But no fears, it is done! I am excited to move forward, and I hope the rest of you are as well.**

**Thank you again for the follows, favorites and reviews. They're very kind and keep me going with this story.**

**Enjoy Chapter Five...**

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**Tori's POV**

Bright light and warmth consumes my body, waking me from my slumber. I open my eyes to see I'm in my room, and I'm almost unsure as to how I got here. My head hurts and my mouth feels dryer than the Sahara desert. My memory is slightly blurred, and I can't seem to focus or concentrate well.

It's then that I realize in my groggy state that I'm not alone; in fact, my head is resting on someone's chest, and I'm wrapped in their arms. I look up and am almost frightened by who I see.

This can't be real life. Jade West is in my bed and she's holding me? Why? What happened that-

Damn.

Now I remember. I remember everything; and it, unfortunately, was not a mere night mare. I start getting worked up at the thought of last night and being tied up in that closet with...him.

I keep myself from losing it, though. It surprises me how easy it is for me to push the memory away. But I do remember Jade beating the living hell out of him, and Trina driving me home, and Cat hugging me and telling me everyone would be here for me. I wasn't alone and I wouldn't be through any of this. It comforts me to an extent, but it still doesn't shake the fear and sorrow I have dwelling deep within me.

I look back up at Jade, her mouth slightly parted, her bottom lip looking slightly bruised from what I assume is from biting down on it so much. I smile softly; Jade West is such a complex person. I could never tell if she was doing things just to upset me or to try to toughen me up; I didn't know if she really hated me or wasn't sure what to do with me. I still don't know the answers completely, but I do know, whether she'll admit this later or not, that she cares about me.

Not wanting to disturb her, I try to slowly and quietly slide from her arms. Without a beat, her eyes shoot open and she pulls me back in, tighter than before.

"What?! Vega?! You okay?!" She's in such a panic, and I've never seen her so concerned or protective before. It throws me off and it takes me a moment to form words to respond.

"Yeah...sorry Jade. I didn't mean to wake you up."

It's then that she realizes how close we are, and I see her emotions run rabid. She pulls away, untangling our bodies and quickly sitting up. I sit up next to her, noticing her eyes are avoiding me as much as possible. I keep our distance, trying to find some comfort in the silence, but it soon becomes too much for me.

"Um...thank you for everything last night..."

She still doesn't look at me, but acknowledges my words with a small nod. She looks like such a complex mix of emotions; confused, concerned, angry, afraid...and I can't bring myself to ask her why. I sigh, turning to get off of the bed when she grabs my arm to stop me. I turn back, and she's still not facing me, but I return to my spot.

"You know...we have to talk about what we're going to do next. You have to tell your parents..." She bites her bottom lip once again, as if she's afraid this will set me off.

"I know, Jade. I'm worried about them being really disappointed in me, but I know it's what I have to do."

I see her visibly become less tense. She brings her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them as she looks out my window.

"Are you doin' okay, Vega?"

I shrug my shoulders, collapsing backwards onto my bed and covering my face with my hands.

"I'm as good as I can be."

I feel disgusting in so many ways, and I can't even imagine how upset my parents are going to be with me for lying to them. I sigh heavily, wishing I could turn back time just far enough where I would tell my past self not to go with Ryder. Everything until then was...well, pretty fantastic.

"Want me to stay when you talk to your parents?"

I remove my hands from my face, in shock of her words. Is she really going to stick with me through all of this? I know Cat said everyone would, but I just assumed Jade did her part and would be on with it.

"You'd do that, Jade?"

"Sure, whatever. It's not like I have anything better to do. I planned on being hung over all day and hiding in the darkness of my room, but it doesn't look like that's happening. I guess I'll settle on the darkness in your parents soul when they find out you're a little bad ass and snuck out."

She looks over at me finally, with a small but devious grin on her swollen lips. I roll my eyes, knowing this is her unusual way of trying to cheer me up.

"You're a strange one, Jade."

"And you're annoying, Vega. But I deal with it, so learn to deal with me."

I turn my head to the side, unsure of what to make of her statement. Learn to deal with her? Is she implying she'll be around more, or am I being typical Tori Vega and reading too into it?

Jade moves herself to the end of my bed, taking a deep breath before turning her head to look at me. She doesn't speak, but by the nervous look in her eyes, I can tell what's coming next. I nod, and we both get up, making our way to Trina's room.

Trina is taking up most of her bed while Cat is curled up in a little ball towards the bottom of the bed. It's kind of cute, because she's actually sleeping like a kitty would.

I do feel her pain, though. When we were little, Trina and I broke my bed from jumping on it one day, so I had to share one with her. She was the absolute worst to sleep next to. My mom would always say she couldn't find me in the morning when she'd come to wake us up; sometimes she actually thought I wasn't in the bed. But then she'd move Trina around, and sure enough, I was somewhere in that mass of blankets and Trina's limbs, more than likely suffocating.

Jade stomps over to the side of the bed, ripping the blankets off and shaking the frame violently. Cat jumps up instantly, wide awake as if she never actually fell asleep. Trina, however, groans and starts throwing a tantrum.

"Wake up sleeping ugly! No amount of sleep is going to help that face!" Jade shouts as she continues shaking the bed.

"Look at me! I'm popcorn!" Cat shouts, as she flails up and down with each bounce of the bed. She starts giggling uncontrollably, and it becomes clear that Trina can no longer handle both Jade's actions and Cat's laugh.

"OKAY! Jeez, I'm up. What?!" Trina shouts and she sits up, throwing her pillow at Jade, who easily catches it and just chuckles. Trina looks like she's about to explode until she realizes I'm in the room. Suddenly, her face becomes somber, and she tries forcing a small smile.

"Oh...hey Tor. How...how are you?" I've never seen Trina like this before; she's so selfless and caring. I walk over to the bed, sitting between her and Cat.

"Yeah, Trina. I'm okay. Thank you for last night; I'm really glad you were there."

She lets out a deep breath, and it's clear she's fighting back tears. I reach out my arms and hug her tightly.

"Oh! Me too!" Cat screams, and I soon feel her small arms wrap around my waist. Both Trina and I can't help but smile. I pull back as Cat rests her head on my shoulder, cuddling up to me. I look over at Jade who has her arms crossed and is looking down at the ground.

"So, you ready to talk to mom and dad?" Trina asks, as I return my attention to her.

"No. But I don't think I'll ever be ready. I just have to do it."

I stand up, walking towards the door, and Jade instantly starts following me, initiating the other two to get up as well. We head down stairs and I can feel my heart pounding. It's weird, but I'm more nervous about telling my parents I snuck out then telling them about Ryder.

Come to think of it...the Ryder thing isn't hurting me as much as I thought it would. Is something wrong with me? Shouldn't I be crying and breaking down? I remember being devastated last night, but now...I just feel weird.

My mom and dad are at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and chatting when they both look up at the four of us, surprised to see Cat and Jade.

"Oh, hello girls. Didn't know we had company" my dad says, eying us suspiciously. We all walk through the living room and into the kitchen. Somehow it feels like the longest, most agonizing walk of my life.

"How was your night? Did you all sing something?" my mom asks, making Jade and Cat look at us with confused faces.

"Um...about that..." I begin, swallowing hard. "Mom, Dad...can I talk to you both?" Trina grabs my hand for reassurance, and Cat gives me a warm smile. I turn to Jade, who gives me a small head nod, but still keeps her arms crossed and head down. I sigh, looking back at my parents who look concerned and uncertain.

"Well, you see...we didn't-" The door bell rings, and my mom, not realizing the severity of the situation, gets up to answer it.

"Oh...hello. Did you need to see David?" My dad looks up when he hears my mom say his name, and we all turn to look at the door. There stands two police officer my father works with, Beck and André. I swear in that moment my heart stopped.

"Well, kind of. We need to see him and your daughters, along with a Jade West and Caterina Valentine who I am told would be here as well."

My mom turns to look at us, her face wide with shock and confusion. My dad stands up, and the four of us back up until we reach the stairs.

"Tori...care to explain?" My dad says in a stern and almost scary voice.

"Um...okay. Last night...we didn't go to Karaoke Dokie. It's a long story...but please...just listen to the whole thing before you get upset. And know that I'm so sorry for everything you're about to hear and have to deal with. I really am..."

**Jade's POV**

Tori told her parents everything, and the police officers began drafting up a report. Her mother silently cried while her father kept a stern face. Beck and André looked exhausted, and I wondered if they were kept up all night. I also wondered where Robbie was, but I wasn't entirely surprised that he was missing.

We were each asked our side of what we saw, my story being the most prominent next to Vega's. It was almost impossible for me to say what I say right in front of her, so I asked if I could talk to them privately. We stepped onto the front porch, and I sobbed while I told them the nightmare I witnessed. I couldn't help it; the images in my head were haunting. I wouldn't go back inside until I was sure I didn't look like I cried.

Ryder was at the station in a holding center, and from what I gather, he wasn't talking much at all. They were still waiting to hear his side of everything, but I guess he just wouldn't speak. I swear, I could kill him.

Beck and André left with the officers, telling me they'd call later to fill me in. Trina took Cat home while I chose to stay, with no argument from Vega's parents, probably because I'm the one that found their daughter before things got too far.

I'm also the one that convinced her to go to the party, but she neglected to tell them that.

And while I'm feeling immense guilt, despite what Tori told me last night, I'm feeling more confusion than anything. I can't seem to make sense of my thoughts or reactions to things she does, and I also don't understand how she's not crumbling to pieces right now. It's almost as if nothing is really affecting her or that nothing is on her mind. But she did seem really relieved when I said I was staying.

I hung out alone in the living room, mindlessly watching TV to try to distract myself while Tori talked with her parents on the outside patio. I'm sure this is the last thing either of them expected to hear, and I know that even though Tori suffered pretty bad punishment last night, they'll probably still give her some sort of discipline for lying and sneaking out. It's times like these when I appreciate that my mom is God knows where and that my dad is never home or doesn't really give a shit so long as I don't end up in jail.

After some time, I finally see Tori come back in the house. She doesn't look at me or speak, she just walks up the stairs and disappears. I look over to at her parents with a questioning look, but they don't acknowledge me either. God, what the hell just happened out there? I decide I should probably do the right thing and see what's going on. I head upstairs and open the door to find a half-naked Vega staring at herself in the mirror. She's just standing there in only a bra and underwear, not moving or saying a word. I gasp and shut the door, cursing myself for not knocking.

"Fuck. Sorry, Vega. I didn't know you were changing."

"I'm not. You can come in. I don't care."

I'm confused by her tone; it's so unlike Tori. There's no hint of any feeling, and she sounds almost robotic. Despite my immense comfort, I go back into her room, shutting and locking the door behind me. The last thing I need is for her parents to walk in and see me awkwardly standing here while their daughter prances around with minimal clothing on. I stare at the ground, unsure as to why it's so hard to fight my gaze from traveling to her body.

"Um...what...what are you doing, Tori?" She doesn't answer me; she just stands in front of her mirror in silence. The room becomes incredibly tense, and it's too much for me to handle.

"Vega, what the fuck?" She still doesn't answer, but I see her body begin to tremble. I'm so thrown off by how she's been. One minute she seems fine and the next she's breaking down; I can't seem to make sense of it. Everything must be eating her up inside, and she's probably trying to do her normal Tori Vega thing and just push it away; she never truly faces her problems. I think she just always assumed that in the morning, whatever happened the previous day would go away. But that's just not the case here.

I take a deep breath, and finally look up at her. She has this look in her eye that is almost demonic, and her face starts to change from sad to complete rage. She lifts her arm up, her hand bawling into a fist as she does. I quickly realize what she's about to do, and run over to her, pulling her frail body into my arms before she throws a punch into her mirror. I don't believe she's got the strength to shatter it, but I don't want her hurting herself any further. She starts fighting against my grip, kicking and throwing her arms about. She knocks us both to the ground, but I keep my arms wrapped tightly around her.

"Tori! What the hell are you doing?! Relax, okay?!"

"No! I won't fucking relax! I don't know what to do! I hate this...I hate myself...I...I fucked up..."

"You didn't do anything wrong, Tori! You have to realize that this isn't your fault at all!"

"But it is! I was so stupid...I went alone with him...what was I thinking?! And I'm more upset that my parents are disappointed in me than I am about what he did! What the fuck is wrong with me?!"

I'm so thrown off by her language, I almost forget it's Tori Vega in my arms. I sigh, and though she's so bare, I cannot help rubbing her back, which happens to be incredibly soft. I hate myself for thinking that.

"Look, we all do things we think are okay in the moment; It's a part of life. But what he did to you isn't your fault, Tori. He's a disgusting person and he took advantage of one of the nicest and sweetest girls I know. And there's nothing wrong with what you're feeling. But Tori...I think you're not allowing yourself to really feel the emotions that came with what Ryder did; I think you're pushing them away without even realizing it. Sooner or later, they're going to come up and by that point, it may be too late to deal with them the right way. But doing this, and what you're feeling right now is completely normal. I promise."

She finally stops being angry and allows herself to cry. She's still shaking, so I reach for my jacket that's still on her bed and wrap it around her as I rock her slowly. She looks up at me with teary eyes, and for a moment, I swear I could her my heart cracking into pieces. Since when did I feel things? God, I can't remember the last time I was so emotional about something.

"All my parents could say was how upset they were...and that they were disappointed in me for lying. I know they're mostly upset that this happened to me, but I feel so bad for making them deal with it. This isn't just affecting me, it's affecting everyone. I feel so selfish...and when I look at myself, I can't help but think I'm just this...this ugly and undeserving creature. I know I sounds crazy or over dramatic, but I just don't know how to handle this the right way; I don't know what the right way is, Jade. But..."

Her voice trails off, and she looks away from me. No, not about to happen. No more hiding things. I tilt her face back up to look at me again, and she looks surprised by my gentleness.

"No secrets, Vega. That's not what's going to make you feel better. You need to talk it out. Now tell me, what were you going to say? But...?"

She hesitates, biting her bottom lip and taking a deep breath. I feel her arms wrap around my waist, and I fight my instinct to push away or tense up as much as I can.

"But...I feel right when I'm with you, Jade. I felt it at the party and I felt it last night when you were taking care of me. I even felt it again when I woke up this morning and saw you there. I know you probably want to hang yourself after being around me for so long, but having you here...it just feels right."

My heart is pounding a million miles a minute. It's like that time she told me I was pretty all over again; I can't speak a single word. All I can do is stare into her soft puppy dog eyes with this stupid shocked and confused expression on my face. Come on, Jade! Do something!

"I...you...uh...okay..." Wow, I'm such a wonder with words. "I'm sorry, Vega. I just...don't know how to talk sometimes when it comes to these...touchy feely things. But, despite the fact you're kind of annoying or whatever...we're...sort of friends or something. So I'll be here for you as much as I can. I can't say I'm always going to the the best help, but you'll just have to take what you can get."

She giggles and rests her head on my chest. I look over at the clock on her night stand, and see it's only 3:00pm.

"So, Vega...I suggest we do something to cheer you up a bit. How badly did it go over with your parents? Grounded for life?"

"Well, it's kind of weird. I can't go anywhere for a while and I have to come right home after school. But they said friends could visit. I think they're worried I'll go crazy if I'm alone.

"You might? You practically did and I was standing right there."

She blushes out of embarrassment, and I hate that I feel bad for upsetting her.

"I'm just joking, Vega. Now put some clothes on and let's do something, even if it's just in the house." I stand up, bringing her to her feet as well. I turn to leave the room so she can have some privacy while she changes.

"Oh, and...I know you said you feel like you're ugly and undeserving but...you're not. You're...really..."

I shake my head, and open the door to leave. Of course, Vega wouldn't let me off that easily. She grabs my wrist, pulling me back in and spinning me around to face her.

"No way, Jade! You said no secrets; so come on. I'm really...?"

I sigh, rolling my eyes and chewing on my lip. I shrug, looking at her standing there, covered only by my jacket, her hair tousled about and her eyes swollen from crying. She's desperately awaiting an answer from me, and I can't help but smile.

"You're really beautiful, Tori." I turn away once gain and exit her room, knowing she's probably still standing in that same spot with her jaw dropped, unable to believe what I just said. I can't lie, though; I can't believe I said it either.

And I can't believe how much I mean it.

Later that night...

**Tori's POV**

_"There's no use in struggling; it's just you and me, Tori. You're all mine."_

_I'm completely exposed, tied up, gagged, and in a white room that seems to go on forever. His eyes are black as he looks over my body with this blood thirsty lust; it sends chills down my spine that almost pick apart at my skin. I whimper as he comes closer, trying with all my might to shake my body free. He laughs at my futile attempts, and brings his hands out in front of him._

_"Don't you dare touch her."_

_He spins around, but no one is there. Neither of us know where the voice is coming from. He turns back at looks at me, anger burning in his eyes._

_"What tricks are you playing? Knock it off you little bitch!" He lifts his arm to swing at me, when suddenly, she's there, standing between us in the blink of an eye. She catches his fist and returns with her own to his face._

_"I said don't touch her."_

_He stumbles back, and before he can regain his composure, she launches at him. She's merciless, tearing him apart as if she were a lioness caring for her cub. Each hit he takes, it seems he fades away. She knocks him into oblivion, and just like that, it's only her and me. She turns around, blood splattered all over her porcelain skin. She never smiles, but something about her still comforts me. She comes closer, untying me and removing my gag. I fall into her arms, and she doesn't even seem to notice that I'm completely bare. She just pulls me into her chest, still expressionless._

_" You're beautiful, Tori Vega. And I'll always protect you. "_


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you very much for all the wonderful reviews; they really make my day.**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter; it took a lot of time to write. I think I'll have more time for the next one, so hopefully we'll have a quicker update!**

**Enjoy Chapter 6...**

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**Jade's POV**

I spent Saturday night and all day Sunday at Vega's house, which was much less painful than I had imagined. Her parents were extremely nice and welcoming, and I was very impressed by how out of their way they went to keep their daughter's mind off of what happened. Vega's dad would disappear into his office quite often, usually on the phone speaking very discreetly. We all knew what he was talking about, but no one asked for details. Honestly, no one wanted them, not yet, anyway.

We all played board games, swam in her pool, watched movies...and it wasn't a burden to any of them to spend so much time with their daughter. It was strange to sit around with a family that actually talks and likes one another, and I was surprised by how well they all got along. Even Trina was a bit more tolerable than usual, although having to hear her "vocal warm-up's" was almost enough to make me lose it and strangle her with her own vocal chords.

Tori's emotions were still very up and down, but she was learning how to handle them and not let them get the better of her. It seems that everything bothers her more at night, especially when the lights are out. I slept next to her again, and though I still get fairly uncomfortable when she's close to me, I didn't deny her when she cuddled up at my side. She didn't seem to have any nightmares that night, which I suppose is progress.

She knew I wouldn't be able to stay forever, but I think both of us were just trying to pretend we were unaware of that fact. I worried how well she'd sleep on her own, or what she'd do to occupy her time when we were all at school. I know Trina was going to miss a couple of days, and her mom took off work, but her father was pretty wrapped up in this case. While it's a blessing he's a police officer, it's also, in a sense, a bit of a hindrance; she can never escape the topic of what happened, not even in her home.

So as Sunday rolled around, I soon found myself awkwardly hugging Tori goodbye while Trina drove me to my house. The car ride was mostly silent, and I thanked whoever it is up above that she didn't turn the radio on and blast her terrible pop music. She seemed very somber; it was a Trina I wasn't used to seeing. She was automatic in her driving, while her mind was clearly somewhere else. As she pulled into my drive way, she finally looked over at me, and I could see my expression reflecting hers.

"I don't know what changed between you and my sister, but I'm glad you were there for her." I nod, shifting uncomfortably in my seat and avoiding her gaze.

"Nothing changed. She's still Vega and I still can't stand..." I sigh, trying for once to let my walls down, even if it's just for a moment. "Take care of her. She...doesn't do too well at night." I mumble, trying to fight my natural urge to run out of the car and slam the door angrily behind me.

"Okay. Thank you, Jade. You're...okay. I mean, okay coming from me is a pretty big deal and everything, so-"

"Okay thanks for the ride bye!" I shout as I quickly exit the car and head into my house. She may not be as awful as I originally thought, but she's certainly still very annoying.

My dad is absent from the house, which is no surprise. He his the owner of Kalix Company, a business that deals with electronic sales and repairs. Because of this, he is consistently traveling. I can't say I mind much, because I prefer to be alone than to hear his futile attempts at parenting. No, he's not a horrible father and he's never been mean or hurt me in any way, he just sincerely has no feelings towards me at all. He doesn't really care what I do or say, so long as I'm not in severe trouble. Sometimes it bothers me, but these days, I just don't think much of it.

I head up to my room, collapsing on my bed and staring at my ceiling. This has been an intense few days, and I really need to clear my head. I pick up my phone and dial Beck, still not knowing what went on with him and André that night.

"Hey Jade." He says as he answers, sounding groggy.

"Sorry, were you asleep?"

"If I was, would that change anything?" I chuckle, shaking my head, amused by myself.

"No. Not at all. Come over? We have a lot to talk about."

"Sure. Roof chat, I assume?"

"Yeah, and invite André."

"Will do. See ya soon."

I hang up my phone and head into my bathroom to shower and change before Beck and André arrive. I welcome the hot water against my skin, trying to wash away the amount of discomfort I've endured this weekend.

It occurs to me, however, that my time with Tori was actually...pleasant. Obviously the situation itself was not, but she surprised me with her conversations and interests. She's not exactly my ideal person to hang out with, but she's also not what I expected. And even now that I'm technically away from her and need not worry what comes next in her life, I can't stop wondering how she is or what she's doing. And I might actually miss her.

This smoke session could **not **be more necessary.

**Tori's POV**

I watched out my window as Trina drove Jade home. I wanted to go for the ride, but I knew it'd just make it harder on me. To my surprise, and probably everyone else's, Jade has been amazing to me through all of this. I can tell it's really against her nature to be so openly caring, but I really couldn't be more thankful for her putting that aside just to help me.

It was mutually decided by my parents and myself that I would not be in school for the next couple days. Not only do they feel I need some healing time, but there is a lot of paper work to go through to file our case against Ryder. I still haven't heard exactly what has been done with him or if he's said anything, but regardless, I am very worried about having to see him again. I just wish there were another way, or something else I could do. Only time will tell.

Trina also decided not to go to school tomorrow, either. She wants to spend the day with me, and I honestly wouldn't mind at all. The idea of being alone is pretty scary as of now, and even though she can be a huge pain in the neck, I do appreciate Trina's company.

After Trina returned home, we all sat down together for dinner. The mood was tense in a strange way; I knew my family was trying to be upbeat and chipper for my sake, but I also knew deep down they felt just as twisted as I did.

"So baby, how are you doing today?" My mom asks, still attempting to have a positive attitude in her voice.

"I'm okay, mom. I'm more nervous than anything to be honest."

"Nervous? Why?"

"Well...knowing I'll probably have to see Ryder again...it makes me nervous." My mom frowns at my comment, and I watch as my dad stays focused on his dinner. He hasn't really been able to say much to me since he's found out.

"Well, we'll all be with you." Trina says, so gracefully with food in her mouth. "So if he starts any funny business, I'll just beat his ass again!" I start laughing and my dad tries hiding his smile.

"Trina! Language!" My mom scolds, though I can tell she's amused by Trina as well.

Once dinner is finished and the kitchen is cleaned up, my parents retire to their bedroom while Trina and I spend the night downstairs in the living room watching some stupid reality show she put on. After a while of me complaining about the terrible show and her shouting at the TV like the characters can hear her, she finally turns it off and starts walking away.

"Trina? Where are you going?" She holds up one finger at me, indicating to hang on, as she runs upstairs. I hear her walking around, and after a few minutes, she comes downstairs with a bottle of wine in her hand.

"And what's that for?" I ask suspiciously, watching her get two glasses from the kitchen.

"This is for us, Tor. You and I could due to use a night of relaxation." She opens the fridge, rummaging through to the back and pulling out a tray of cheese and chocolates. "We are having a girl's night; I think we both deserve it. Now go upstairs, change into something cozy, pick out your favorite CD and meet me back down here."

A big smile forms on my face; sometimes I truly cannot believe how incredible my sister can be. I nod and get up, going upstairs and into my room. I quickly toss on a large t-shirt that falls off my shoulder and a pair of black yoga pants. I look at my CD's, trying to decide what I want to listen to tonight. It's not often Trina let's me decide, so I really need to take advantage of this moment. I smile when my eyes land upon my favorite album: Mumford & Sons "Sigh No More". This album is incredible, and they're my absolute favorite band. I grab the CD and run back downstairs to meet Trina, who already has the wine poured and is sipping on a glass. I put the CD in and take a seat next to her on the couch, picking up my wine and tentatively bringing it to my lips.

"Ugh, I will never understand why you like this folky weird Irish music." she says as she takes a generous sip.

"Trina, they're not Irish and it's not weird. They're incredible musicians; I mean the lead singer not only sings great, but plays the guitar like a beast while playing a bass drum with one foot and a tambourine with another. He does this live! And their lyrics and just breath-taking." I'm surprised by how much I like the taste of the wine, and start drinking it with ease.

"Yeah, whatever. They're just not as fun as the music I like. But we can't all have the exceptional taste that I have!" She reaches over and grabs a cracker with cheese, and I can't help but feel incredibly girly right now. If we had mud masks on, I'd probably be pushed over the girly edge.

The two of us indulge in wine while picking at the cheese and chocolate. We talk about everything and anything, which always seems to go back to Trina and a boy she likes. And trust me, she likes a lot of boys. After a few glasses of wine, I start to feel my face flush and the room is a bit fuzzy. I giggle as I realize Trina is feeling the same way, but she continues to drink.

"You know Trina, you're a pretty good sister." She laughs and flips her hair, and I know I just raised her ego by ten points.

"Yeah, I am pretty awesome." She drinks down her glass of wine, and I watch as her smiles fades. She looks over at me, and I swear for a moment, I saw tears forming in her eyes.

"Trine, what's wrong?" She shrugs and sets her glass down on the table.

"I'm sorry I haven't been there for you more. If it wasn't for Jade, who knows what would've happened to you. You were new to partying and drinking and I should've kept my eye on you. I'm so sorry Tori..." I quickly pull her into a hug, and as it turns out, my eyes weren't playing tricks on me; she starts crying hysterically.

"Trina...it's not your fault. It's no one's fault but Ryder's. Not mine, not yours, just his. I know you care about me and you're a great older sister. It's not your job to watch me 24/7, so stop blaming yourself, okay? You destroyed him! You're a freaking black belt in karate! How much cooler of an older sister can I get?"

She pulls back and starts laughing, and for some reason, I start laughing, too. It becomes almost hysterical, and it's clear we're both pretty drunk.

"Thanks, Tori...that actually makes me feel a lot better."

"Of course, Trina! I mean it, I promise." I finish my wine and set my glass down next to hers. I lean back on the couch, closing my eyes and enjoying the sounds of Mumford & Sons flowing through my ears.

"Hey Tor? Can I ask you something?"

"Sure thing!"

"What is your relationship with Jade?" My eyes shoot open, and I look over at her, confused.

"What...what do you mean?"

"Well...I thought you weren't friends. But you're always so nice to her and help her out, despite how mean she is to you. Then she pretty much convinces you to go to the party and you two spend the better part of the night together. Then when you go missing, she freaks out and goes searching for you, and beats the crap out of Ryder. Then, she spends the weekend here taking care of you, keeping her eye on you at every moment. And you...I mean, not to sound rude, but you cling to her like a child to a candy bar. It's not like it's a bad thing, it just seems like neither of you know what to do with the other. Are you friends? Are you not? Are you more than friends? Are you-"

"Whoa! What the heck, Trina? Where did all this come from?!" My jaw is dropped and my eyes are wide. When did Trina become so perceptive? "And since when did you decide that I like girls?!"

"I didn't say you did; you could just like Jade. Or maybe you do like girls, I don't really care. I don't care if you don't like Jade like that! I just think the both of you should figure out what's going on, because she clearly doesn't hate you and you clearly have some sort of odd attachment to her."

I shift uncomfortably in my seat, taking everything Trina said in. I know it's not the first time I've tried to understand my feelings towards Jade; why do I put up with everything she throws at me? There's no one else I would ever do this for, yet with her, it feels like the only option. And honestly, I don't mind it.  
"Well...I don't know, Trina. I want to be her friend...I think that much has been obvious. But...I can't deny that on occasion, I've thought about it maybe...being more? But I honestly don't know. I can't really seem to figure it out, so I kind of gave up on trying." I hear my CD come to an end, and watch Trina get up, pick out a DVD, and put it into the DVD player. She turns off the lights and sits back down on the couch as "The Hunchback of Notre-dame" begins; my favorite Disney movie.

"Well, Tori, I can't tell you what you feel. But I will say that to me, it's pretty clear she's having the same struggle. Except the difference is that she uses anger and hate to distract herself from any other feelings she may have." Trina lays back on the couch as the movie starts, acting as if she never said anything wild or outrageous. But my mind is racing, and I can't believe how well Trina read my feelings. Could she really be right about Jade?

I don't know if it's the wine lowering my inhibitions, but I do something I normally would never do. I pull out my phone and scroll down to Jade's name. I bite my lip, and begin typing out a text.

**Jade's POV**

I return to my place of comfort and peace; each hit fills my lungs with sweet relief and brings my mind to a hazy place where I am calmed. I smile as I pass the expert blunt André rolled over to Beck, whose eyes are almost non-existent at this point. The three of us are sprawled out on my roof, staring up at the clear night sky.

"So basically when the cops showed up and heard our story, they were much less focused on the party. They handcuffed Ryder and demanded answers from us. When we refused until we got to talk to you guys, they had us go down to the station as well. By that point Robbie had been long gone. Another car showed up as we were leaving to make sure the party was ending, and I guess no one got in any real trouble." André says as he takes the blunt Beck passes to him.

"So what happened at the station?" I ask, propping myself upon my elbows.

"Well, we were interrogated." Beck begins. "As was Ryder, but he refused to answer any questions. We explained what we saw, and that the girl this happened to was taken home to safety. They drilled us on and off until we finally cracked. We told them everything and gave them everyone's names, even Robbie's. Once they realized who Tori's dad was, the situation got pretty intense, as his partner was one of the people talking to us. They told us they understood why we were waiting to say something, but that it was better we told them. They agreed to wait until morning to come talk to you guys, and we asked to come along."

"And that's pretty much it." André says, passing the blunt to me. "So how's Tori holding up? That was really nice of you to stay the weekend with her."

I take a hit of the blunt, watching the smoke slowly flow from my lips into beautiful curves and shapes. I take another and pass to Beck again, achieving an incredible high.

"She was okay...obviously as good as she could be." Beck takes the blunt, giving me a weird smile.

"You're still worried about her." He says, bringing the blunt to his lips. I shrug and shoot him a glare.

"Yeah...we all are." I say defensively, not quite sure why it bothers me knowing I care about Vega.

"Yeah, but you were _really_ worried about her. I'm talking like, you _really_ like Tori Vega status." He starts laughing and passes the blunt to André, who laughs along with him.

"He's right, Jade. You were eying her like a hawk at her house. I've never seen you so emotional about someone. Never thought it'd be the person you allegedly don't like." He takes the last hit before tossing the roach off the roof.

"Fuck you guys. It was an intense situation; of course I acted that way. Nothing has changed."

"Oh yeah? So tell me, Jade. Do you still not like Tori Vega? Do you not care about her?" Beck starts pushing, getting me angry, even in my high state.

"Piss off, Beck. You're being such a dick. This isn't the kind of situation to joke about; she was seriously hurt! Why are you so insistent on fucking with me despite this very important factor?!" I sit up, my fist in a ball, ready to punch Beck in his smug face. André quickly sits up as well and puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Jade, I think Beck is just stating that we don't understand why you insist on being so mean to Tori if you clearly care about her. What's so wrong with liking her?"

Everything. Everything is wrong with liking Vega. She's fucking sparkles and glitter; always looking on the bright side, even when things are black as night. I mean, she almost gets raped and I bet if I went over there complaining about something, she'd drop everything to make sure I was okay. She's perfect and I can't handle it. I'm so fucking flawed and selfish; I could never do for her what she does for me. I can't like her...It's wrong on so many levels.

"I don't know, André. I just know...that I'm not a good enough person to be her anything."

"Her anything?" He questions, his head slightly tilted.

"Her friend. Whatever." I quickly correct myself.

"Well, you sure proved yourself to be a pretty awesome person this weekend. Give yourself more credit, Jade. She tries so hard for a reason with you."

He lays back down, and the three of us are in silence now. Andre's words ring through my head like a bell, and they echo throughout my body. I...I really was a good person, wasn't I? And it wasn't forced or unwanted; it was sincere.

I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket, and it breaks me from my trance. I reach down and open my phone. My heart instantly starts beating faster.

_**Tori:** I wish you were here to protect me. I miss you._

I look over at Beck and André, and swallow hard. My head is cloudy, but I don't believe I could be thinking any more rationally.

"Guys...I have to go see Tori." I say quietly, worried about the comments I'll get from. I sit up, still looking at my phone.

"Did she just text you?" Beck asks, sitting up and looking at me curiously. I nod, and look over at him.

"We'll drop you off; I don't want you driving this high. Be ready to be picked up in the morning." He says, as both him and André stand up. Beck reaches a hand out to help me up, and I take it, pulling him into a hug as I get up.

"Thank you..." I whisper to him, as he hugs me tighter. He can be such a dick, but I know he's a really good guy overall. I turn to André, who smiles and holds his arms out, pulling me in tightly. I have amazing friends, and while I don't show it often, I couldn't be more thankful for them.

The three of us get into Beck's car and he takes off towards Tori's house. He plays music quietly, but none of us really talk. André plays imaginary drums in front of him to the music while Beck nods along. I just stare out the window, anxious to get to Tori's. We finally pull into her driveway, and I say a quick goodbye before exiting the car and walking up to the front door. I can hear something on their TV playing from outside the door, so I know at least one person is up. I take a deep breath and quietly knock.

"Who is it?" Tori asks skeptically, and I'm glad she's not just opening the door without asking first, especially this late at night.

"It's me, Vega." She quickly unlocks the door and opens it, her face in disbelief.

"Jade? What are you doing here?" I see Trina passed out on the couch behind her with an empty bottle on the coffee table. I can smell wine on Tori's lips, and it's almost making me more intoxicated.

"I'm here to protect you." I say softly, fighting my urge to look down at the ground. Her face lights up, and she looks so taken back by my words. She pulls me into her arms, and I gently wrap mine around her waist.

"You're amazing, Jade..." she whispers into my ear. I smile, holding her small body even tighter.

"I know." I say smugly, making her giggle. We slowly pull apart and I follow her inside, helping her clean up the coffee table. From the looks of it, her sister had the idea of some sort of "girly sister's night", which would make me ill. But I bet it was nice for Tori, and I'm glad Trina is going out of her way to be there for her. She drapes a blanket over Trina, grabs a CD from the CD player and we start to head upstairs to her room.

"What movie were you watching?" I ask curiously as she brushes her brown locks in her mirror.

"The Hunchback of Notre-dame. It's my favorite Disney movie." I raise an eyebrow when she says this, expecting her to like "Beauty and the Beast" or something like that.

"Wow...that's actually a Disney movie I like. I'm impressed, Vega." She smiles, putting her brush down and turning around to face me. I look at her outfit, and how comfy she looks. It's almost...adorable. Curse her and her ways of making me weak!

"I'm full of surprises, Jade." She moves over to her book shelf which is mostly full of CD's. She grabs an empty case to put away the CD from downstairs, and then moves to her bed to lay down.

"What CD was that?" I ask, as I turn off her main light, leaving only the light on her nightstand on.

"Mumford & Sons. It's their first album 'Sigh No More'". She says, and once again, I'm in shock.

"No way. Tori Vega likes Mumford & Sons?"

"Yeah! They're my favorite band." I smirk as I walk over to her bookshelf, taking the CD out and putting it in her CD player. I like that Vega still has CD's and not just an iPod; something about holding the physical object is just so much better than downloading it. I play the last song on the CD, "After The Storm" and lay down next to her.

_And after the storm,_  
_I run and run as the rains come_  
_And I look up, I look up,_  
_on my knees and out of luck,_  
_I look up._

We're facing each other, her hair sprawled out everywhere. I slowly reach my hand out, and move the strands of hair from in front of her face. She smiles sweetly, and I allow myself to smile back.

_Night has always pushed up day_  
_You must know life to see decay_  
_But I won't rot, I won't rot_  
_Not this mind and not this heart,_  
_I won't rot._

I see her eyes still full of such pain and fear, though hope tries fighting its way through. Her mind, while focused on so much more, always has a hint of him lingering in it. I reach down to her hands, pulling one up and holding it tightly. I rub my thumb back and forth on top of it, keeping my eyes locked with hers.

_And I took you by the hand_  
_And we stood tall,_  
_And remembered our own land,_  
_What we lived for._

A tear rolls down her cheek, and I know it's because she tries so hard to stay strong in front of her family, that the pain finally built up all day. I wipe the tear away, and pull her body closer to mine, holding her delicately in my arms. She rests her head on my chest, and I run my fingers through her soft brown hair.

_And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears._  
_And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears._  
_Get over your hill and see what you find there,_  
_With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair._

I hear her breathing slow down, and realize she's drifting off to sleep. I kiss her forehead softly, and she looks up at me through sleepy eyes.

"I missed you too, Tori. And I'll always protect you. I promise."

She smiles and reaches up, kissing me gently on my cheek. She rests her head back down, and I lean over to turn off the lamp on her night stand. We both begin succumbing to sleep, as the beautiful melodies rock us into our slumber.

_Get over your hill and see what you find there,_  
_With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair._..


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! Sorry for the long break in writing this story; I had a bit of writer's block. But after a nice revelation, and some wonderful comments from you guys, I am back and excited to keep this going! =]**

**This chapter is a bit slow; I do apologize. But it's necessary to keep the story moving along.**

**To answer a commenter from some time ago: Yes, the pot smoking is necessary. Why? Well, have you ever heard the saying "Write what you know"? I know pot. I am an avid smoker and do most of my writing while I'm high. I personally find myself able to communicate more openly and honestly when I'm stoned, and I decided to take this trait and give it to my version of Jade. If Victorious (which I don't own, blah blah blah) was a more adult show, I wouldn't put it past Jade or Beck (maybe Andre) to be pot smokers. And I am an adult fan, so this is what you're getting. I do apologize if it offends anyone, but as a sort of hippie child who just has a guilty pleasure for Victorious, my world's seem to mesh. I will say that the pot smoking, which I find to be such a normal thing (I forget it's actually illegal...) will not be stopping anytime soon.**

**At any rate, here is chapter seven. =]**

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**Jade's POV**

I woke up this morning groggy and confused as a mop of chestnut hair lay sprawled out across my chest. I blink a few times to clear my eyes and reflect on last night. Man, I was really stoned. But it's not like I didn't want to come here. Deep down in my bitter and guarded heart, I did want to be here for Vega, I just needed to clear my head and think. Yeah, smoking clearing my head sounds a bit redundant, but those are the times I feel I'm most logical and sincere. And I sincerely needed to make sure she was okay.

But while I want to be there for her, I also want to be as far away as possible. She's always getting under my skin and invading my brain; It's overwhelming me immensely. She also needs to learn to be alone, and I can't have her getting used to me being around all the time; it'll just end up hurting her. Still, I'm glad I came here last night. It was a moment in my life that I will not forget, though I do not believe I will ever feel completely comfortable with it.

I try slipping away from her grasp without waking her. It's 7:00am and I have to go to school; no sense in waking her up so early. I quietly move from the bed, and she sighs softly and turns over, but stays asleep. I tip toe out of her room and into the hallway. I get down the stairs, thankful her parents weren't in the kitchen or living room. I start to put my shoes on, facing the door and ready to leave and meet Beck to take me home, when I feel a hand grab my shoulder. I jump, ready to strike whoever it was by instinct but quickly being put into a hold by this mysterious captor. They were strong, and I started to panic, thinking somehow Ryder got out and was here. But even Ryder wasn't strong enough for this. I turn my head as much as I can in this grip lock, and my eyes almost pop out of my head.

"Trina?! Let me go!" I shout, trying to break free. She shrugs and let's me go, backing up and looking at me suspiciously.

"So what if I was my mom or dad? You would've tried to hit them?" She asks, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I was snuck up on; I can't be held accountable for what I do when I'm put in attack mode."

"Well you didn't put up much of an attack, huh?" A smug smile forms on her lips, and I hate, no...absolutely loathe the fact that Trina was able to out do me. All I do is grunt and turn away. I finish putting my shoes on, going towards the door, but Trina quickly moves in front of me, blocking my exit.

"Not so fast, Jade! It's 7:00am, and here you are sneaking out of my house, looking disheveled. And Tori was drinking some wine last night, which I know makes her a bit flirty. So what I want to know is-"

"Oh my God, Trina!" I interrupt, not wanting to hear the rest of her stupid story. " What the hell is your problem?! I didn't...how could you think that's what I'm doing? You think I'd try to hook up with Tori after what happened to her? And then leave?!" Trina face changes; She looks less serious and much more relaxed. I also see a look I'm not quite able to comprehend. It's almost...pride. Like she just discovered something she's been looking for.

"Oh...so you wouldn't hook up with Tori because of what happened?" She finally says, as her eyes lock with mine and she moves her hands to her hips.

"No. I wouldn't. Are you deaf?" I hiss back, crossing my arms and rolling my eyes.

"So...you're saying you _would _ hook up with Tori if that didn't happen?" A small smirk forms on her lips, and I suddenly find it difficult to keep looking her in the eye. I grow uncomfortable, and I suddenly resort to the only thing that ever makes sense to me; anger.

"Fuck you, Trina. Why I'm here has nothing to do with any of this. I know it's almost impossible, but try getting laid so you can't stop thinking about sex all the time. I mean, you're so fucking desperate that you need to fantasize about your sister's sex life? Pathetic." I feel my face turning red as drop my arms to the side, my hands balling into fists. I half expect Trina to try coming back at me, or to have a hissy fit and strut away. But she doesn't do either; she just keeps staring at me, not wavering at all. I suddenly start to panic internally, because I begin to realize that the thought of Vega and me...physically...made me blow up. Why? Why can't anything with Tori Vega be easy?! I take a deep breath, then finally give up the battle. I look down at the ground, unable to keep my eyes on Trina's, and she knows she's won.

"I just...I came her because she texted me saying she missed me and...well..." I exhale, uncomfortable with being so open to Trina. "...she told me she wished I was here to protect her. So I came over and stayed with her the night. That's it. No games, no being mean, and definitely nothing physical. Just...being her friend...thing..." I look up at Trina, whose smirk is now soft and less intimidating. She chuckles a bit, finally looking away, which is a huge wave of relief for me.

"Well, I think that was very nice of you, Jade. It almost makes up for your outburst a few moments ago. But I think I can let it slide. And maybe I'll even be nice enough to neglect mentioning that I, Trina Vega, am much stronger than Jade West." I glare at her, pushing her aside and finally getting to the door and slamming it behind me. As I'm about to walk off their porch, the door swings back open, and Trina runs outside.

"Jade! Wait! I...how is she?" Her words stop me in my tracks, and I sigh before turning back to face her.

"She's getting better. She might need you at night, though. I can't...I shouldn't be here so often..." I bite my lip; I need to stop talking.

"You shouldn't or you can't?" She asks, as she tilts her head curiously. I search for a response, but my brain fails me; I blame it on being too early to function. I don't speak, and she just smiles and goes back inside. I stand there for a moment, trying to understand what exactly Trina was getting at. I always took her for being such a prissy, self-centered bitch, but she's been throwing me for a whirl recently. I hear Beck's truck pull up and beep; I shake my head and run to his truck.

**Tori's POV**

I woke up when I realized I was the only person occupying my bed. I opened my eyes, knowing Jade would be gone, but still sad to see the sight. She was so sweet and caring last night; it still feels unreal. But when I needed her most, she appeared. It was like so many dreams I've had before that I've tried to push away or ignore. All those feelings I've tossed between and tried to make sense of finally came together and suddenly it isn't so hard to say that...I really like Jade West.

And I realized that I've really liked her since I saw her soft and vulnerable side when her and Beck broke up the first time. She was still Jade, very brash and intimidating. But she was also so desperate and...even adorable. I realized that she was such a complex and mysterious individual and every thing about it intrigued me.

But when the person you can't get off your mind treats you like you're lower that dirt, you start to feel crazy. I mean, how could she be on my mind in any way that wasn't negative? It didn't make sense to me, so I did what I normally do when I can't handle something; I pushed all the feelings away, both the bad and the good. And the night of the party, deep down, I knew I was going not to just prove that I wasn't such a good girl, but to prove to Jade I was worth being nice to. Because maybe if she liked me, I could let myself feel for her again.

Well, that night didn't go as planned. But something did end up happening between Jade and I and now...the feelings have resurfaced. The only difference between last time and now is that Jade has opened up to me in a way I've never seen before. She was selfless; she was here for me, and not for herself.  
The only issue is that just because she was taking care of me doesn't mean it was anything more than her being my friend. And while I am so happy to have her be a friend, whether or not she'll admit it, it doesn't change the fact that I have really strong and crazy feelings for her. The only time I'm not worrying about everything with Ryder is when she's here, or if I'm thinking about her.

And while I'm not ready to go back to school for a few days, I still sort of wish I was there just so I could be around her.

This is not what I need right now. I do not need further confusion or anxiety, especially from the person who makes me feel the most safe. And if she finds out, it could totally destroy the bits and pieces of our friendship that I've been putting together for so long.

I sit up, running my fingers through my hair and looking around my room until my eyes land on my clock; 10:00am. I have to leave for the police station at 11. I sigh, getting up and grabbing a robe and towel before heading towards the bathroom. Of course Trina is in there, screaming...I mean...singing her head off while blow drying her hair. I wait a few minutes quietly, but soon loose patience and the ability to hear. I start pounding on the door as hard as I can.

"Trina! Hurry the heck up!" I lean against wall across from the door as I hear the blow dryer stop. There's some movement and shuffling around in the bathroom, but finally, she emerges.

"Well hey there, baby sister! How was your night?" she asks me. with a big smile glued to her face.

"You should know, Trina. You were with me." I try to push past her into the bathroom, but she doesn't move.

"Yeah, I was. But you know what's funny? When I fell asleep, Jade wasn't here. But when I woke up, she was trying to sneak out of the house. Weird, right?" Trina raises an eyebrow and I feel a blush spread across my face.

"Jade came over last night. So what?" I ask innocently, though after my talk with Trina last night, I doubt I'll be able to get anything past her.

"So...what are you thinking?" She asks, and I'm almost taken back by her question. She isn't pestering or prying about anything that could be juicy gossip; she's just genuinely curious about what's on my mind.

"I...I don't know. I'm thinking a lot of things. Some bad...but some...kind of good." I smile to myself, thinking of how absolutely wonderful last night was. Trina nods and moves away from the bathroom door.

"Don't text her. Let her text you first." She says, and before I can question her on it, she disappears into her room. I shrug and enter the bathroom, wishing that for just one second, my mind could be completely clear. And that I didn't have to go to the police station today.

And that Jade was here.

**Jade's POV**

I wonder how Tori is doing right now. Last night was...unreal. What made me go there? Why did I want to? What is it about her that makes me need to care for her? And since when do I care at all? Everything is changing...and man, do I loathe changes. But having her there, laying in my arms...fuck, I can't get the image out of my head. And how is it possible for someone to be so soft? I can't get over it. God damn it Vega...of course you'd do this to me. Of fucking course it had to be you! And you have no idea, either! Still the same innocent and sweet Tori Vega. I mean, I hope she's okay. But I wish she'd leave my head and just-

"Hello? Earth to Jade? Hello?!"

I jump up, looking around at the lunch table. Everyone is staring at me with a skeptical look; it's not like me to space out.

"You alive in there?" Beck asks, waving his hand in front of my face. I swat it away and growl at him, and he instantly backs off.

"Damn, sorry. You okay?" I can see the genuine look of concern in his face. What am I supposed to say? I may or may not be falling for the girl you wanted and probably left me for? And I can't get her of my mind? And I'm going crazy because I want it all to stop and go back to normal?

Not a chance.

"I'm fine." I say dryly, as I look down at my food, trying to muster up an appetite. A burger and fries sounds absolutely awful, though I'm not sure I could eat much of anything right now.

"How is Tori doing, Jade? Is she any better? I was thinking about going to see her today and bringing her flowers! Flowers cheer everyone up. This one time, my brother and I were picking flowers, and then he started-"

"She's fine, Cat." I quickly interrupt. "She'd probably enjoy a visit. And knowing her, she'll like flowers, too. But I really couldn't care less about your brother or your stupid story, so please just shut up." Her eyes widen, changing from excited to sad. I feel bad for upsetting Cat, but I'm just so mixed up it's making me incredibly irritable.

"Dang, Jade. That was bitter...even for you." Andre says, giving me a disappointed look only a parent could pull off.

"Whatever. Sorry, Cat. Yeah...go see Tori. She'd probably like to see all of you honestly. Call her just to make sure she's up for it, though." Cat nods, perking up a bit as she leans against Andre affectionately for standing up for her. He puts his arm around her, and she giggles while stealing a few of his french fries. I'm glad someone can put up with her bubbly personality on a regular basis.

It takes me a moment to realize that Robbie isn't sitting with us, and that I hadn't seen him all day. In fact, I haven't seen or heard from him since the party.

"Hey, where's Robbie been?" I ask, seeing the same curious look on Andre and Cat's faces.

"I don't know...I haven't seen him for a while now that I think about it." Andre says, and Cat nods in agreement.

"I saw him at his locker earlier, but he took off pretty quickly to class. I think he's avoiding us." Beck says, grabbing a handful of my fries and smirking as he eat them. I glare at him, but just push the tray his way.

"Well he's being stupid. Nothing happened to him, it happened to Tori."

"Yeah, but Jade...I think it kind of scared him." Cat says softly with a look of sorrow.

"So what? It scared all of us. And it scared Tori the most. He's being a little bitch. And a selfish one at that. He doesn't even care about how Tori is, does he?" I grab my water bottle and start drinking it down, while Cat tilts her head, looking at me with uncertainty.

"Well...since when do you care about Tori? I thought you didn't like her..." The fear in Cat's voice is evident, because she knows asking me a question like this is probably going to set me off. I almost choke on my water, but swallow it and toss the bottle onto the table. I grab my bag and toss my books into it.

"You defend the psychotic puppet boy for ditching his friend in need and only caring about himself, but you question the person who's been bending over backwards for her? Cool."

"It's just new to us, Jade. You never liked her before." Andre says calmly, always trying to resolve conflict.

"I never said I did now." I don't know why I said that. Everyone at the table knows that this is a bold faced lie. They don't respond to me, but the silence drives me mad. I toss my bag over my shoulder and leave the table. I hear Beck call my name, but I don't stop moving. I don't care where I go, I just need to get away from here. I go into the janitors closet, shutting the door behind me and sitting down, leaning against the door.

She's driving me crazy; she won't leave my brain. I have never wanted to help someone so badly and I've never cared about someone so much. And I hate it! I fucking hate it. I hate it because people just hurt other people, and I am no exception to this rule. Tori has been through too much as it is, and I know I'll mess it up. I just know it. I can't like her...I just can't!

I need to get her out of my head...so why am I pulling out my phone to text her?

Damn you, Vega. Damn you and your stupid big brown eyes that just...drive me wild.

**Tori's POV**

"Alright Tori...we are about finished up, here. I apologize for having you recall this experience again, but I assure you that you talking to us is very helpful in our investigation." Officer Robertson says to me. I've only met him a handful of times, but he's always been very stern and aggressive. It's almost uncomfortable for both of us to be in this position.

"Thank you, sir. And...has he...ya know...Ryder...has he said anything?" I shift awkwardly in my seat, looking down at my hands on my lap.

"Ryder has confessed to what he was doing, yes. His family has been contacted and we are working on the situation now that we have his confession. We will obviously keep you updated with-"

"I don't need updates regularly...I'd just like to know his sentencing when it occurs. I...I don't want to think about him all the time, sir."

"I understand, Tori. This is obviously not the end of it for you...we will need for you-"

"I know, sir. My father spoke with me about all of this. If you don't mind, can be done? I don't really feel comfortable talking about it anymore."

"Oh...um...yes. My apologies. Your sister is with your father in his office. Would you like me to escort you to them?"

"No, I'm okay. Thank you, though." I grab my purse and throw it over my shoulder as I stand up and exit Officer Roberston's office. I sigh heavily as I walk towards my dad's office, feeling nauseous and wanting to go home. I grab my phone out of my bag to check the time when I see a text message from Jade. It kind of surprises me, and I can't fight the small smile that forms on my lips.

_**Jade:** Hey...how is everything?_

_**Tori:** It wasn't fun to talk about again...but he confessed. I guess that's good, right?_

I get into my dad's office, to see Trina sprawled out across a couple of chairs, rambling on and on about how bored she is while my dad has his head in his hands, ready to rip Trina's head off. My dad looks up when he hears me enter; he quickly stands up and comes over to me.

"Hey baby...how did it go?" he asks softly. Trina looks over and stands up as well. I suddenly feel crowded, and back up a little, causing them to give me puzzled looks.

"It was fine...I just want to go home." My dad nods and motions for Trina to get moving. I turn and start walking away before anything further can be said or done. I feel my phone vibrate in my bag, and grab it quickly, feeling silly for hoping it was Jade, but relieved it was.

_**Jade:** Yeah, that's good. You okay?_

_**Tori:** I'm just overwhelmed. Even by my family. I just want to stop talking about it and relax for a while. Finally going home._

Trina catches up to me and we silently get into her car. After a few moments of driving, I finally speak up.

"You were right. She texted me first."

Trina smiles and nods courtly, but otherwise, doesn't speak and keeps her eyes on the road, which is fine by me.

**Jade's POV**

"I mean, you would've failed that test anyway, Jade. It's a good thing you didn't go."

I stare at myself in my rear view mirror, my brow furring at my reflection. Here I am, skipping class in my car, debating with myself if I should go see Vega or not. Yes, I walked from school to my house, where I left my car last night because I was too damn high to drive. I just had to get away and gather my thoughts, maybe give myself a pep talk. I'm almost in hysterics, because God, do I sound crazy.

"Normal people talk out loud to themselves all the time. It's the sign of genius, actually."

Oh God, what the hell am I even doing now? I'm just wasting time being a complete idiot. How does she do this to me without even being around?

Well, it's pretty clear what I want to do, even if it's probably the worst thing to do, given my feelings and the situation. I groan, closing my eyes and resting my head back against the seat. I reach down and finally turn the keys that have been sitting in my ignition. The engine rumbles, sending a shock through my body. I open my eyes, looking behind me before backing out of my driveway and heading in a direction that has become very familiar to me.

Doubt invades my brain once again. What if she doesn't want me there? What if she wants to be alone? I mean, there is this huge possibility that I'm being entirely selfish and that Vega is already sick of seeing me, or being around me. After all, why would she want to keep spending time with someone who has brutally bullied her for the past couple of years?

A sharp, stabbing pain erupts in my chest; for the first time, I am feeling true guilt. No one deserves what I did to Vega, but fuck, can I be blamed? She drives me up a wall and back down again without even saying two words to me. And like hell if I'll sit back and watch her smile and twirl her hair for Beck when she should be twirling it for me.

I immediately break, a sudden realization washing over my face.

I wanted Tori this entire time, and I was jealous when I thought she wanted Beck.

A car horn beeps behind me, breaking my trance and signaling me to continue driving. I do so almost automatically, because my mind is currently elsewhere. How could this be? How could I have wanted this girl for so long and been so able to keep myself in such denial? She's Vega for Christ's sake; how did this even come to be? I mean, I was _dating_ Beck! Did I really want Tori that entire time?

I pull up at her house, suddenly wishing I had never left school. Trina's car is already parked in the driveway, meaning Tori is home. How can I face her now? Sure, I'm an excellent actress, but fuck, this is taking quite the toll on me.

I decide it's best that I just leave and gather my thoughts. After all, the last thing she needs is the girl that ha tormented her day after day pining over her like some 13 year old prepubescent boy. Before I can leave, my phone goes off; a text message. I bite my lip, but decide to look.

And as always, she's right on time.

_**Tori:** But maybe you could come over...?_

God damn it, Vega. You're just so fucking perfect, aren't you? I turn the car off and run my fingers through my hair. I take a deep breath before finally responding.

_**Jade:** Well maybe you should open your door._


End file.
